Mercer University
A-Sun Championship
Reimers Shares Runner-Up Honors, Bears Place Fourth at A-Sun Championship
4/20/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
BRASELTON, Ga. – The Mercer men's golf team shot 277 (-7) in Wednesday's final round of the Atlantic Sun Championship, passing four teams on the leaderboard and finishing in fourth place. Freshman Hans Reimers fired a 2-under 69 on the final day at the Chateau Course at Chateau Elan and tied for second place individually.
Kennesaw State captured its first conference championship with a tournament score of 845 (-7) and also boasted the individual champion, Jeff Karlsson. The Owls outpaced the next closest team (North Florida) by nine strokes. Campbell placed third with a three-day total of 855.
All four of Mercer's contributing scorers carded sub-par rounds on Wednesday, led by freshman Mookie DeMoss' 3-under 68. Mercer's Wednesday charge was the lowest conference tournament round in school history and was the lowest round posted by any team at the 2011 championship. Mercer's three day total of 860 tied the program's best 54-hole score at the conference championship.
"It was a fun day out there," Mercer head coach Andrew Tredway said. "We got off to a hot start and then the guys finished it which was so big for our program."
Reimers, who shot 70-71-69 at the tournament, finished in a four-way tie for second place. Reimers' performance placed his name among the program's elite as his finish was the best placement for a Mercer freshman at the event and also set a new program-best three-round score at the conference championship.
"Hans played amazing this tournament," Tredway said. "He's got a bright future and just makes the most of his opportunities. I'm really happy for him."
Junior Josh Cone booked his fifth top-20 finish of the year, wrapping up his tournament with a 1-under 70 and a 54-total of 216. Cone's efforts placed him in a five-way tie for 17th place overall.
Both Reimers and Cone collected 39 pars in the 54-hole event. Only eight players had more than 39 pars in the 2011 edition of the league championship.
Sophomore Matt Kocolowski also fired a 70 on Wednesday, highlighted by three birdies in his final three holes. Kocolowski's 70 combined with scores of 76 and a 72 in the first two rounds to slot him in a tie for 24th place individually.
DeMoss, whose final round 68 was Mercer's lowest 18-hole score at this year's championship, wound up in a tie for 31st place (221). DeMoss' 68 was a four stroke improvement on his Tuesday total and 13 strokes better than his Monday effort.
Sophomore Thomas Holmes, who had battled food poisoning on Tuesday and Wednesday, capped his showing with a 78 on Wednesday. Holmes was not among the players seeded due to his withdrawal in the second round.
"I'm so proud of them for hanging in and never giving up," Tredway said. "Fourth isn't what we came for, but to play the way they did today it was a real testimony to their will. Kocolowski birdying the last three holes was amazing."
