Men's Golf Releases (2005-06) - Methodist Wins O'Briant Open - Guilford College

 

      Greensboro, NC (9/27/05) -- Medalist Cory Schneider helped his Methodist Monarchs to a record-tying third straight team title in the 18th annual Tom O'Briant Memorial Golf Tournament at the Cardinal Golf and Country Club Tuesday. Schneider, a junior, shot a one-under-par 69 in Tuesday's second and final round to finish with an even-par 140 (71-69). He outdistanced Oglethorpe senior Joe Green and Huntingdon sophomore Jacob Collinsworth by two strokes and helped the Monarchs to a four-shot win over Oglethorpe, 581-585.

 

      Methodist, a nine-time NCAA Division III national champion, matched the record of three straight O'Briant titles set by Duke's 'B' team from 2000-02. The Monarchs are ranked second in the September 22 Bridgestone/Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) Division III Coaches' Poll, just behind tournament host and defending national champion Guilford. Monarchs' sophomore John Duckworth (Cary, NC) shot his second straight 73 Tuesday to share 12th place in the field. Senior Adam Horton, the 2003 O'Briant medalist, started the day two strokes off the lead, but shot 77 Tuesday and fell into 19th place at 148. Junior Nick Bova also carded a 148 (73-75) for the Monarchs, who were playing their first tournament of the season.

 

      Schneider, who placed fifth in last year's O'Briant, started the day tied with Horton in third place, two strokes behind first-round leaders Matt Durand (Rhodes) and Richard Poole (LaGrange). Durand bogeyed three straight holes on the back nine to finish with a 74 Tuesday and in fourth place at 143. Poole struggled to a 79 in the second round and shared 19th place at 148.

 

      Oglethorpe shot the event's low round Tuesday (288) and finished second in the 18-team field. The Stormy Petrels, ranked sixth in the Bridgestone/GCAA poll, placed second in the O'Briant for the fourth time in five years. In addition to Green's second-place effort, rookie Joseph Lyda turned a fourth-place showing (73-70-143).

 

      Guilford's 'A' team bounced back from an opening-round 300 with a 291 Tuesday, the day's second-best score. The Quakers had three of the 89-player tournament's low-16 scores. Senior Chris Lowman finished eighth at 144 (72-72). Senior Jeff Osberg came in 12th at 146 (74-72), one shot better than junior teammate Joseph Poplin's 147 (74-73). Freshman Ben Hicks had Guilford's best score (72-71-143) and placed fourth playing for the Quakers' 'B' team.

 

      The O'Briant featured nine of NCAA Division III's top-25 teams, according to the Bridgestone/GCAA poll, including six of the top-10 squads. Five of Division III's last seven national champions were also in the field. In addition to top-ranked Guilford, second-ranked Methodist, fifth-ranked Greensboro and number-eight Emory made this one of Division III's top fall tournaments.

 

      This year's tournament was played on the par-70, 6,671-yard Pete Dye-designed layout in northwest Greensboro. Guilford hosted the same tournament from 1978-87 when it was called the Guilford College Invitational.