Spring Break
Men's Golf: Panthers climb to seventh place on final day
Davis finishes final round on good note
Kevin Murphy / Sports Editor
Issue date: 4/30/09 Section: Sports
The Eastern men's golf team had its best performance of the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament Wednesday at the Muscle Shoals in Muscle Shoals, Ala.
The performance came in the last round of the tournament as the Panthers pushed their team score up to seventh place as their season came to a close.
As a team, the Panthers shot 16-over-par to finish with 931 total strokes. The Panthers shot 19-over-par Tuesday and 32-over-par Monday.
They surpassed Tennessee Tech (944 strokes) on the second day, and then the Panthers surpassed Tennessee Martin (936) on the final day.
"The first day was uncharacteristic," said Eastern senior Matt Davis. "We were so far behind. We were going to play better than that."
This was the third day in a row a different Panther led the team.
Davis led the squad with an even-par 72, a far different situation from his previous two days. Davis shot a 10-over-par and a six-over-par in his previous two days, respectively.
He finished with a 16-over-par to finish tied for 24th overall.
Davis said he wanted to finish his career strong.
He said he did by hitting the ball well on his drives and finally hitting his putts.
The third round of the tournament was halted by two rain delays.
Davis said the delays were annoying because they had to rush everybody into the clubhouse and spot the ball.
"The rains really didn't help anything," he said. "You just got to keep it together."
Davis said the rain delay helped him on the 12th hole because he had an easy par, but bogeyed on the 16th hole after the second rain delay.
On day one, sophomore Francisco Cherizola fired a three-over-par. Junior Matt Bird and freshman Gino Parrodi led on day two with a one-over-par 73.
Cherizola had the team's second-best score on the third day and shot a two-over-par to finish with a 16-over-par mark to finish tied for 24th overall.
Parrodi finished tied for 24th overall and fired an eight-over-par 80 to finish with a 16-over-par mark for the tournament.
Bird rounded out Eastern's scoring with a six-over-par 78 to finish the tournament with a 19-over-par showing. Bird finished 32nd.
Murray State was unable to hold off Austin Peay on the final day of the tournament. The Governors won to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals. The Racers led by five strokes heading into Wednesday, but shot a five-over-par as a team, and Austin Peay shot a one-under-par to earn the OVC Tournament Championship.
Jacksonville State sophomore Gonzalo Berlin won the individual title with a two-under par 214-stroke count. Berlin won by one stroke and edged Morehead State senior Lee Chaney.
The Panthers return three of their four top golfers for next season with Davis being the only senior.
Final Results.
1. Austin Peay - 877 (+13)
2. Murray State - 878 (+14)
T3. Jacksonville State - 888 (+24)
T3. Eastern Kentucky - 888 (+24)
5. Morehead State - 890 (+22)
6. Tennessee State - 915 (+51)
7. Eastern Illinois - 931 (+67)
8. Tennessee Martin - 936 (+72)
9. Tennessee Tech - 944 (+80)
Eastern golfers.
24. Gino Parrodi - 232 (+ 16)
24. Francisco Cherizola - 232 (+16)
24. Matt Davis - 232 (+16)
32. Matt Bird - 235 (+19)
43. Lucas Mannix - 254 (+38)
Kevin Murphy can be reached at 581-7944 or at kjmurphy@eiu.edu.
The performance came in the last round of the tournament as the Panthers pushed their team score up to seventh place as their season came to a close.
As a team, the Panthers shot 16-over-par to finish with 931 total strokes. The Panthers shot 19-over-par Tuesday and 32-over-par Monday.
They surpassed Tennessee Tech (944 strokes) on the second day, and then the Panthers surpassed Tennessee Martin (936) on the final day.
"The first day was uncharacteristic," said Eastern senior Matt Davis. "We were so far behind. We were going to play better than that."
This was the third day in a row a different Panther led the team.
Davis led the squad with an even-par 72, a far different situation from his previous two days. Davis shot a 10-over-par and a six-over-par in his previous two days, respectively.
He finished with a 16-over-par to finish tied for 24th overall.
Davis said he wanted to finish his career strong.
He said he did by hitting the ball well on his drives and finally hitting his putts.
The third round of the tournament was halted by two rain delays.
Davis said the delays were annoying because they had to rush everybody into the clubhouse and spot the ball.
"The rains really didn't help anything," he said. "You just got to keep it together."
Davis said the rain delay helped him on the 12th hole because he had an easy par, but bogeyed on the 16th hole after the second rain delay.
On day one, sophomore Francisco Cherizola fired a three-over-par. Junior Matt Bird and freshman Gino Parrodi led on day two with a one-over-par 73.
Cherizola had the team's second-best score on the third day and shot a two-over-par to finish with a 16-over-par mark to finish tied for 24th overall.
Parrodi finished tied for 24th overall and fired an eight-over-par 80 to finish with a 16-over-par mark for the tournament.
Bird rounded out Eastern's scoring with a six-over-par 78 to finish the tournament with a 19-over-par showing. Bird finished 32nd.
Murray State was unable to hold off Austin Peay on the final day of the tournament. The Governors won to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals. The Racers led by five strokes heading into Wednesday, but shot a five-over-par as a team, and Austin Peay shot a one-under-par to earn the OVC Tournament Championship.
Jacksonville State sophomore Gonzalo Berlin won the individual title with a two-under par 214-stroke count. Berlin won by one stroke and edged Morehead State senior Lee Chaney.
The Panthers return three of their four top golfers for next season with Davis being the only senior.
Final Results.
1. Austin Peay - 877 (+13)
2. Murray State - 878 (+14)
T3. Jacksonville State - 888 (+24)
T3. Eastern Kentucky - 888 (+24)
5. Morehead State - 890 (+22)
6. Tennessee State - 915 (+51)
7. Eastern Illinois - 931 (+67)
8. Tennessee Martin - 936 (+72)
9. Tennessee Tech - 944 (+80)
Eastern golfers.
24. Gino Parrodi - 232 (+ 16)
24. Francisco Cherizola - 232 (+16)
24. Matt Davis - 232 (+16)
32. Matt Bird - 235 (+19)
43. Lucas Mannix - 254 (+38)
Kevin Murphy can be reached at 581-7944 or at kjmurphy@eiu.edu.
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