Release courtesy of Transylvania University
DESTIN, FL – Transylvania's men's golf
team will have a chance to make history Friday in the final round
of the 2013 NCAA Division III Championship at the Sandestin Golf
Resort.
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The Pioneers, seeking the school's first NCAA National
Championship, find themselves in the lead after third-round play at
the Raven Course, a 6,854-yard par 71 test. Transy will begin play
Friday at 8:30 a.m. with a two-shot lead over Texas Tyler.
“We had never gone into a National Championship Ttitle with
the lead in a round,” said Transy head coach Brian
Lane, who is also the men's basketball coach. “We
wanted to use the NCAA experience our guys have and play like we've
been here before, and I think we've proven that.”
The two teams were tied heading into third-round play and
exchanged the lead throughout the day. The two distanced themselves
from the rest of the field, however. Host Methodist is 11 back of
the Pioneers and Illinois Wesleyan is another six strokes behind in
fourth place. The rest of the top 10 include Emory, Claremont Mudd
Scripps, La Verne, Wittenberg, Gustavus Adolphus, St. John Fisher,
and St. John's. The difference between first and 10th, though is 29
strokes.
“To go out and to not only battle with two top teams in
Methodist and Texas Tyler, but to take the lead is huge,”
said Lane. “But this is only the third quarter, and now we've
got to go into the final quarter, the last 18 holes, and play for a
National Championship.”
Transylvania has never won a team national championship in any
sport. Both the men's basketball and men's soccer teams have
advanced to the round of eight and last year's men's golf team was
the national runner-up.
“This team has had a business like approach since the
conference tournament”said Lane . “The guys are not
giddy about being in first, they know that we're going to have to
come out tomorrow and play well. I have a tremendous amount
of confidence that they will be able to come out and show that
poise because they've done it. Last year we played in the final
group and having that experience can only be a plus”
Transy is at 20 over par after a 297 effort on Thursday. The
Pioneers' total score is 876. Texas Tyler had a third-day total of
299 and was at 878. Methodist's total was 887 after shooting 302 on
Thursday.
Individually for the Pioneers, sophomore Ben
Fister is tied for fourth at three-over par 217. His
one-over round of 72 was marred by a pair of bogeys on the final
two holes, which prevented him from being in a tie for second. He
is tied with teammate Clay
Hinton, who carded a 76 Thursday.
Fister had two birdies on each nine while Hinton had three birdies
on his card.
Jantzen
Latham moved from 19th to a tie for 14th with a three
over par 74 for a total of 221. Stephen
Montgomery was tied for 40th-place after a 75 gave him a
227 total. Hunter
Frazier recorded an 80 and is at 229.
The individual leader after three rounds is Brad Shigezawa of Mudd
Scripps. He had a 69 for a 211 total, three under par and
four clear of Cameron Button of Southwestern Buddy Hallman of
Texas Tyler. The leader is the only participant par.
The field was cut to the top 15 teams for the final 36 holes.
Transy, ranked No. 11 nationally heading into the event, finished
second to Oglethorpe in last year's championship. The Stormy
Petrals did not make the cut this year.
The Championship initially featured 41 teams and 210 participants
overall. Of the nation's top 25 teams, 19 were in the field. The
Pioneers are in the NCAA field for the seventh year in a row. Four
of the top 25 teams are still alive, headed by No. 2 Methodist and
No. 5 Emory.