GUILFORD TAKES SECOND AT NCAA GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS

Complete Results (Adobe Acrobat required)

Weldon Spring, MO (05/10/01) -- Wisconsin-Eau Claire won its first NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championship Thursday at the Persimmon Woods Golf Club by one shot over second-place Guilford and two strokes ahead of third-place Methodist in one of the closest NCAA Championships ever.

The Blugolds erased a one-stroke Guilford lead through three rounds and jumped out to a two-stroke edge over the Quakers after Thursday's first nine holes. Wisconsin-Eau Claire sophomore Andy Smith, who entered the day 14-over-par and in 40th place through three rounds, shot even-par 71, Thursday's lowest round. Senior Ryan Kuhl was two-under through nine, but settled for a one-over 72. Guilford junior Andrew Biggadike (Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood) shot even par on the back nine and freshman David Patterson (Fort Pierce, FL/Fort Pierce Central) was one over down the stretch to keep the Quakers in contention.

The Quakers shot an 11-over 295 in Thursday's final round for a four-day 1163, the third-lowest 72-hole stroke total in school history. Guilford's second-place finish is the school's best in nine NCAA Division III Championship appearances and its fourth runner-up effort at a national tournament. The Quakers placed second at the NAIA National Tournament in 1985, 1986 and 1987. The smallest deficit in those events was six strokes in 1986.

Guilford tied a school record with three All-America honorees, a feat matched by the Quakers' 1987 team. Biggadike fired a one-over 72 Thursday for a four-day 285 and earned All-America honors for the second straight year with a third-place result. His finish is the best national showing by a Guilford player since Chris Haarlow '91 took third at the 1990 NAIA National Tournament. Patterson, who shot the tournament's low round (68) Wednesday, followed with a 74 Thursday and received second team All-America laurels. His four-day 291 ranked 10th in the 120-player field and seventh in Guilford history. Junior Savio Nazareth (Orlando, FL/Phillips) carded a three-over 74 to finish 18th at 295 and earned third-team All-America honors.

Guilford senior Clint Fields (Siler City, NC/Jordan Matthews) shot a four-over 75 in his final college round to finish 38th with a 303. Junior Andrew Eversole's (Greensboro, NC/Northwest Guilford) final-round 84 knocked him from 13th place to 33rd at 302.

Methodist senior Chad Collins (Cloverdale, IN/Cloverdale) finished with an even-par 71 Thursday and claimed his third individual national medalist honor. He shot a three-under 281 for the tournament and finished two strokes ahead of Allegheny's Nathan Smith, who also shot 71 Thursday.

Guilford, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference champion, received its second straight NCAA Championships bid and its ninth in 10 years of NCAA membership. The Quakers qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships in seven consecutive years after leaving the NAIA ranks in 1991. Guilford's best NCAA Tournament finish before today was a fifth-place tie at the 1997 tournament in Westerville, OH. The Quakers won the NAIA national golf championship in 1989.

Team Results (top 10 of 23 teams)