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Sept. 12, 2009
• 2009 Navy Fall Golf Classic - Rd 1
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Anchored by junior Ben Hayes' (Carmichael, Calif.) 4-under par 67, the Navy Blue team (279, -5) holds a 3-stroke advantage over Northwestern (282, -2) after the opening round of the 17-team Navy Fall Golf Classic held Saturday at the Naval Academy Golf Course in Annapolis. The Mids' 5-under par 279 ties the tournament record for the lowest 18 holes, mirroring NC State's opening-round score in the 2007 edition of the Navy Fall Golf Classic. It also bested Navy's previous low round of 283 (-1) shot in 2007.
Three members of Navy's Blue squad are among the top 10, including Hayes who owns a 1-stroke lead over Seton Hall's Brandon Park who turned in a 3-under par 68. Additionally, sophomore Tim Shield (Grosse Pointe Park, Md.) registered a 2-under par 69 to find himself in a four-way tie for third, while 2009 Patriot League Rookie of the Year Peter Reilly (Merrimack, N.H.) will begin Sunday's final round in 10th after shooting par.
Junior Josh Ziska (Camarillo, Calif.) is just one stroke back from the top 10, shooting a 1-over par 72.
While Navy enters Sunday's final round of 18 with a 3-stroke lead over Northwestern, the Wildcats, who finished 29th in the nation a year ago, are well within reach of the Mids as four of their five players are among the top 10, including David Lipsky who finished the opening round with a 2-under 69. Three other players are vying for the 10th slot, including reigning Big Ten Individual Champion Eric Chun, who turned in a par-71.
Villanova (285, +1), Seton Hall (286, +2), Saint Joseph's (291, +7) and Drexel (291, +7) round out the top five.
In addition to the Navy Blue squad, the Mids also fielded two other teams, Navy Gold, who is tied with Delaware for ninth with an 18-over par 302 and the Navy White team, who stands 16th with a 39-over par 323.
Sophomore Collier Jones (Little Rock, Ark.) turned in a 1-over par 72 to pace the gold quad, while local products Robert Merkert (Severna Park, Md.) and Matt Hardie (Arnold, Md.) ar atop the leader board for the white team with a 7-over par 78.
Navy is one of just two teams who has won the Navy Fall Golf Classic multiple times over the last 16 years. However, the Mids last claimed the fall title in 1996. Meanwhile, George Washington is the defending champion, having won last year's tournament over Delaware by eight strokes.
The final round of the Navy Fall Golf Classic will get underway Sunday with teams teeing off between 8:30 and 11 a.m.
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