FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA SPORTS INFORMATION
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

WEST FLORIDA FINISHES THIRD AT SANDESTIN COLLEGIATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Two Argonauts Finish in Top Five

DESTIN, Fla. – The No. 7 West Florida men’s golf team took a two-stroke lead into Tuesday’s final round at the Sandestin Collegiate Championship at the Raven Golf Club in Destin, Fla., but No. 2 Lynn posted a 281 in the final round to pass by two teams and take the team title.  The Argonauts (288-286-289 - 863) placed third and finished 11-over par, just one stroke behind No. 16 Newberry (293-283-286 - 862) and four strokes behind Lynn (285-293-281 - 859).

Lynn’s Marcelo Rozo (69-70-71 - 210) posted three consistent rounds to win the individual title at 3-under par, and Newberry’s Ben Firebaugh (70-69-72 - 211) placed second and one stroke behind Rozo.

Two Argonauts placed well individually, led by senior Thomas Guste-Pedersen (Helle, Norway/Frank Phillips) in third place and 1-under par (69-75-68 - 212).  Senior Carlos Rodriguez (Cali, Colombia/Austin Peay) also finished in the top five in fifth place, and he was three strokes behind Guste-Pedersen at 2-over par (72-68-75 - 215).

Junior Robbie Van Riper (Tallahassee, Fla./Florida State University Schools) and senior Ryan Black (Port St. Lucie, Fla./Lincoln Park Academy) gave UWF four scoring players in the top 20.  Van Riper finished 4-over par (71-75-71 - 217) and alone in 11th place, while Black was two strokes back and tied for 16th (76-68-75 - 219).  Freshman Adam Whipp (Sydney, Australia/Pittwater HS) was also a top 20 finisher as an individual, finishing 7-over and tied for 20th (73-72-75 - 220).

Freshman Gary Buffington III (Tampa, Fla./Chamberlain HS) also competed as an individual, and he finished tied for 49th (74-78-79 - 231).  Finally, junior Rafael Rodriguez Larreta (Montevideo, Uruguay/Pocitos Day School) had a tough final round to finish tied for 57th (81-76-83 - 240).

The Argos will head to Normal, Ill. this weekend for the D.A. Weibring Intercollegiate hosted by Illinois State on Oct. 1-2.  For information on all UWF athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.

#ARGOS#

   Fin.   School                   Scores 
      1   Lynn University          285  293  281    859        +7
      2   Newberry College         293  283  286    862       +10
      3   West Florida, U. of      288  286  289    863       +11
      4   Georgia College          298  288  287    873       +21
      5   North Alabama, U. of     295  289  295    879       +27
      6   Columbus State           293  300  289    882       +30
      7   Florida Southern Col     298  292  296    886       +34
      8   Delta State U.           295  304  294    893       +41
      9   West Georgia, U. of      294  304  304    902       +50
     10   New Orleans, U. of       305  304  297    906       +54
     11   Queens Univ of Charl     306  301  304    911       +59

   Fin.   Name                     Scores 
      3   Thomas Guste-Pedersen    69   75   68    212   -1
      5   Carlos Rodriguez         72   68   75    215   +2
     11   Robbie Van Riper         71   75   71    217   +4
    T16   Ryan Black               76   68   75    219   +6
    T20  *Adam Whipp               73   72   75    220   +7
    T49  *Gary Buffington III      74   78   79    231  +18
    T57   Rafael Rodriguez Larreta 81   76   83    240  +27