Coker Alum, Mark Sheftic, Set to Play in 91st PGA Championship

Courtesy of T.J. Auclair, Interactive Producer- PGA.com
7/28/2009

A NICE CONSOLATION PRIZE: Mark Sheftic, a PGA Teaching Professional at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa., might have left the PGA Professional Narional Championship slightly disappointed.

Making his National Championship debut, Sheftic had a shot to win right up until the final hole. With a bogey on the 72nd hole for a 2-over 73, Sheftic fell into a tie for second, one shot behind the champion, Mike Small.

The defeat was much easier to swallow seeing as it still was more than enough to earn Sheftic a spot in the PGA Championship at Hazeltine.

"What can I say?" Sheftic said. "But it's a dream come true. It's very emotional because I know how hard it is to get there. It has given me much more confidence in my abilities as a player. I'm very proud to be part of the PGA Championship and looking forward to everything to come."

As excited as Sheftic is, he also knows he won't have a lot of time to prepare for playing on golf's grandest stage.

"My first duty is to teach the members at Merion," he said. "That will not change. I have a limited time to practice because of a very busy teaching schedule. I feel very blessed to be the teaching professional at Merion and I have responsibilities I have to look after. If that means earlier mornings and later nights to get my practice time in, that's what I will do. The Philadelphia Section provides a great tournament schedule to help me prepare. I'll try to play in all the tournaments leading up to the PGA."

All in all, it's safe to say that Sheftic can't wait for PGA Championship week to begin.

"The excitement is hard to express in words," he said. "The greatest satisfaction is knowing all the long hours and hard work has paid off. I'm looking forward to putting my game up with the best in the world and see how I fare."

Sheftic is a 1998 graduate of Coker College.

FMU product Bert Atkinson to play in US Senior Open

Francis Marion graduate and former Patriot golfer Bert Atkinson will play in his second consecutive U.S. Senior Open, next week in Carmel, Ind.

Atkinson, 51, lives in Charleston and is president of O'Connor Inc.

The 72-hole event begins on Thursday, July 30, at the par 72, 7,316-yard Crooked Stick Golf Club course. It is the longest course in U.S. Senior Open history. Television coverage will be on ESPN (Thursday and Friday 1-5 p.m. EDT) and NBC (Saturday and Sunday 3-6 p.m. EDT).

At the 2008 U.S. Senior Open in Colorado Springs, Colo., Atkinson made the cut and finished tied for 52nd with a 296 score, the third lowest score for an amateur at the event.

Atkinson transferred to Francis Marion for his senior year (1978-79). He led the Patriots that season with a 74.0 stroke average and was named an NAIA All-American. He was also named to the NAIA District Six All-District Team and was selected as the Francis Marion team MVP.

He helped lead the Patriots to the District Six team championship and to an eighth-place finish at the NAIA National Tournament in Greensboro, N.C. Atkinson placed seventh in the individual standings at the national tournament, seven strokes behind the medalist.

To qualify for his second U.S. Senior Open, Atkinson carded a 64 to win the sectional qualifying event last month at the Florence Country Club.

He was the runner-up at the 1991 U.S. Mid-Amateur where he lost to Jim Stuart 1-up. He advanced to the round of 16 at the 1998 U.S. Amateur, and set a stroke-play medalist record at the 1997 U.S. Mid-Amateur with a 36-hole total of 132. He has been named the South Carolina Player of the Year three times: 1991, 1995, and 1999.

Coker's Gillam Wins Two-Man Tourney

Courtesy of Jim Lane, Altoona Mirror
7/14/2009

TYRONE, Pa. - The Sinking Valley Country Club Two-Man Invitational is special to Jimmy Gillam and John Handrigan, and not just because they've won the championship two years in a row and four times overall.

Gillam's father, the late Jimmy Gillam Sr., was the club pro at Sinking Valley and Handrigan was his assistant at SV for awhile.

"It's special because I grew up around here," young Gillam said of Sinking Valley. "I was always around for the two-ball. I used to work it as a little kid, so I have a lot of memories over the years here, and it's always been fun."

Now 21, the former Tyrone High School standout now lives in Altoona and will be a senior at Coker College in Hartsville, S.C.

Handrigan, now golf coach at Queens College in Charlotte, N.C., has known young Gillam a long time.

"I worked for his father here at Sinking Valley, and he took me in like a son," Handrigan said. "I met Jimmy through him, so we had a close relationship. Then I recruited him to Coker College, where I was coaching at the time.

"To be honest, the memories [of this tourney] are of Jimmy's dad," Handrigan said. "When I come here, it's his tournament because he was here so long, so it's an honor to win this one. It's the biggest tournament for us because of his father."

The Gillam-Handrigan duo won the 41st annual event by shooting best-ball rounds of 68, 61 and 64 over the weekend for a 193 total - four shots better than the runner-up team of Artie Fink and Bernie DeLoretto, who had rounds of 65, 69 and 63.

"Jimmy played really well [Saturday], and that put us in a commanding lead today," said Handrigan, 32, a native of Toronto, Canada. "We both played pretty solid today, making some birdies, but Jimmy putted really well. He made a lot of putts that made things a little easier for us."

The champs held off Fink and DeLoretto by sinking birdies on the last three holes Sunday.

"Jimmy birdied 16, I birdied 17, then he sunk about a 50-footer on 18," Handrigan said.

"Friday, we both played pretty lousy," Gillam said. "Yesterday, I played really well, and John was there when I needed him.

"Today, it was sort of the same deal. Even though we shot 3-under, we struggled on the front nine, but we played well on the back nine. We birdied the last three, and that was a nice way to finish."

Gillam and Handrigan will team up again next weekend to defend their title at the Park Hills Two-Man. When Handrigan returns to North Carolina, Gillam and Artie Fink will be teammates for the Iron Masters and Summit events, which they won a year ago.

Is Gillam looking for a repeat of the four titles.

"My goal always is to win," he said.

Championship flight: 1. John Handrigan-Jimmy Gillam 193; 2. Artie Fink-Bernie DeLoretto 197; 3. Anthony DeGol-Jake Biltz 201; 4. Greg Ferguson-Jimmy Ferguson 205; 5. Ben DelBaggio III-Terry DelBaggio 207.

First flight: 1. Wally Clapper-Spencer Hinish 209; 2. Ryan DelBaggio-Chris Perry 211.

Second flight: 1. Bill Allen-Mike Raley 212; 2 (tie). Brian Dinges-Brian Hall and Ben Walters-Mike Rook 214.

Third flight: 1. Henry Marche-Jim Roseberry 214; 2. Kevin Quinn-Nick Filak 215.

Fourth flight: 1. Doug Hershey-Josh Gibson 226; 2. Dan England-Dave Wertz 227.

Fifth flight: 1. Dave Panasetti-Scott Meredith 231; 2. Ronald Long-Tim Yingling 232.

Sixth flight: 1. Rodney Marshall-Mike Luther 232; 2 (tie). John Sisto-T.J. Keith and John Gummo-Scott Gummo 233.

By Jim Lane
Altoona Mirror
sports@altoonamirror.com

Cobra Golf Signs Two to National Letters of Intent

by Christian Stryker, SID Coker College
6/16/2009

Hartsville, S.C. - Coker College Head Men's Golf Coach Tommy Baker announced the signing of two players to National Letters of Intent to play golf for the Cobras in 2009-2010 on Tuesday. Ben Conroy and Jake Murphy become the newest members of the Coker golf team.

"Both Ben and Jake are accomplished players, great students and will make an immediate impact on our golf program," said Coach Baker. "The coaching staff is really excited to have these young men wearing Coker blue and gold next fall."

Conroy is a native of Durham, Connecticut, where he was a standout golfer at Coginchaug Regional High School. Ben was a four-time All-Conference Golfer, a three-time Shoreline Conference Individual Tournament winner and a two-time All-State Golfer. Conroy was also a member of the honor roll and was named a Shoreline Conference Scholar Athlete.

When asked about Conroy joining the Cobras, Coach Baker said, "Ben is a very good player. He is a mature player as far as he controls his emotions well and he has had plenty of experience in big events. He's the type of player that has the potential to come in and make an impact right away both in the classroom and on the links."

Murphy also comes to Coker from the northeast; he is a native of Hamilton, New Jersey, where he was a standout golfer at Hamilton High School. Jake was the 2009 Mercer County Golf Tournament champion, where he shot a record setting 69, he was also the NJSIAA South/Central Group III champion, and the Group III state champion.

"Jake is a very solid player and has a very good makeup," said Coach Baker. "He is constantly working on his game and is extremely dedicated. His ability can be seen by his impressive performances in several top-tier junior tournaments. "

Conroy and Murphy have the privilege of joining a Coker team that finished the 2009 season 25th in the country in NCAA Division II Golf, was second in the Conference Carolinas Championship and had the Conference Golfer of the Year , Chris Marsh and Conference Coach of the Year, Baker. With everyone returning for the 2009-2010 season the future looks very bright for the Cobra golf program.

Coker Golf Finishes 11th at Regionals, Season Comes to an End

by Christian Stryker, SID Coker College
5/6/2009

Florence, Ala. - The Coker College Golf Team's season came to an end Wednesday, as the Cobras placed in a tie for 11th place at the 2009 Southeast/South Super Regional Tournament at the Robert Trent Jones at the Shoals Course. Coker shot a team score of 291 (+3) in the third and final round giving them a three round total of 891 (+27), tying them with the University of West Florida.

The University of West Alabama was the overall winner, with a three day total of 868 (+4), followed by Lynn University at 869 (+5) and Barry University at 874 (+10). Joining those three schools at the 2009 NCAA Division II National Championship will be Columbus State University and Georgia College and State University, while Barton College's Jonathan Burke and Florida Southern University's Brian Richey will advance as individuals.

Coker was led by freshman Jared Crane (Greenville, SC) as he fired a five under par 67 in the final round to finish in a tie for sixth place overall, while Chris Marsh (Georgetown, SC) shot a 74 (+2). Diego Polo (Guatemala City, Guatemala) and Jimmy Gillam (Tyrone, PA) each shot 75 (+3) in the final round, with John LaDow (Pottstown, PA) rounding out the Coker five with a 80 (+8).

Coach Tommy Baker and the Cobras had an outstanding year, placing in the top five in 9 of 11 tournaments, including taking championship honors at three tournaments (Coker Intercollegiate, Tusculum Invitational and Carolina Sands Intercollegiate). With his entire team returning next season, Coach Baker has a lot to look forward to in the future for the Coker Golf program.

Cobra Golf Drops Two Strokes, Improves to 14th in Second Round

by Christian Stryker, SID Coker College
5/5/2009

Florence, Ala. - The Coker Golf Team dropped two strokes in the second round of play at the 2009 Southeast/South Super Regional at the Robert Trent Jones at the Shoals Course on Tuesday. The Cobras shot a team total of 299 (+11), giving them a two day total of 600 (+24), placing them in 14th place.

Lynn University took the lead at 572 (-4), followed by Barry University and University of North Alabama at 576 (E) each. Fellow Conference Carolinas schools, Barton College and Belmont Abbey are placed tied for 6th (590, +14) and tied for 17th (607, +31) respectively.

Jared Crane (Greenville, SC) had the low round of the day for Coker, shooting a 73 (+1), followed by Diego Polo (Guatemala City, Guatemala) with a 74 (+2) and John LaDow (Pottstown, PA) with a 75 (+3). Chris Marsh (Georgetown, SC) had another tough day, shooting 77 (+5), with Jimmy Gillam (Tyrone, PA) shooting 84 (+12).

The Cobras will tee-off for the third and final round at 9:00 a.m. Wednesday. Fans can follow the action live on www.golfstat.com.

Visit cokercobras.com for the latest news and info on Coker College Athletics.

Cobra Golf 15th after Day One of Regional

by Christian Stryker, SID Coker College
5/5/2009

Florence, Ala. - Through the first round of play at the 2009 Southeast/South Super Regional Golf Tournament the Coker Golf Team is in 15th place, shooting a team total 301 (+13). Leading the field is host, University of North Alabama at 281 (-7), followed by Lynn University 285 (-3) and Barry University 288 (E).

Conference Carolinas champions Barton College are tied for ninth at 293 (+5), while fellow conference school, Belmont Abbey, is tied for 17th at 304 (+16).

Leading the Coker was John LaDow (Pottstown, PA) with a 73 (+1), followed by Jimmy Gillam (Tyrone, PA) and Jared Crane (Greenville, SC) each shot 75 (+3). Chris Marsh (Georgetown, SC) shot a 78 (+6), with Diego Polo shooting 79 (+7).

The Cobras will tee-off for the second round of the tournament at 1:00 p.m. Fans can follow all the action live on www.golfstat.com.

Coker Golf Set to Tee off at Southeast Regional

by Christian Stryker, SID Coker College
5/4/2009

Florence, Ala. - At approximately 10:00 a.m. Monday morning, the Coker College Golf Team will tee off in the first of three rounds at the 2009 Southeast Regional Golf Tournament at the Robert Trent Jones of the Shoals Fighting Joe Course in Florence, Alabama. Coker is looking to make their way back to the NCAA Division II National Championship for the first time since 2006.

The Cobras are part the 20-team Super Regional comprised of teams from the Southeast and South Regional tournaments, hosted by the University of North Alabama. Last year Coker finished just short of a National Championship bid, placing fifth in the regional tournament.

A total of eighty teams and 32 individuals were selected to participate in the four super regionals, in which two regions will meet and conduct regional tournaments. The regional tournaments will be paired as follows:

Atlantic and East, South and Southeast, Midwest and South Central and Central and West

The top five teams and the top two individuals not with a team from each regional (regardless of region) will advance to the finals The finals will be hosted by Western Washington University.

Coker is competing in what is considered the toughest region in the nation. A team from either the South or Southeast Region has won the last 15 straight Division II championships and 24 of the last 25.

The Cobras are fresh off a second place finish in the 2009 Conference Carolinas Tournament and have only placed below fifth in one of 10 tournaments this entire year.

Fans can follow all the regional action live via the internet with Golfstat Live Scoring, simply visit www.golfstat.com and click on the Southeast/South Regional.

Teams competing in each regional are as follows:

Southeast Region:
1. Columbus State
2. GC&SU
3. Clayton State [Peach Belt Conference]
4. South Carolina-Aiken
5. Lander
6. Coker
7. Barton [Conference Carolinas]
8. Newberry [South Atlantic Conference]
9. Belmont Abbey
10. Armstrong Atlantic

Individuals:
1. Jordan Walor, North Carolina-Pembroke 2. Chase Carroll, Tusculum 3. Scott Woodard, Mount Olive 4. Adam Sheriff, Anderson (South Carolina)

South Region:
1. Nova Southeastern [Sunshine State Conference]
2. Florida Southern
3. Lynn
4. Barry
5. North Alabama [Gulf South Conference]
6. West Florida
7. Valdosta State
8. Arkansas Tech
9. Rollins
10. Florida Tech

Individuals:
1. Cole Cisbani, St. Leo 2. Brandon Hartzell, Delta State 3. Ryan Chitwood, West Georgia 4. Mark McGuire, St. Leo

Patriots stand third at Cavalier Classic

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - Led by an even-par 72 from senior Peter McGibney, the Francis Marion University men's golf team stands third after the opening round of the Cavalier Classic, hosted by the University of Virginia.

FMU carded a 294 team score, and stands eight shots behind the leaders, University of South Carolina (286), and just two shots back of the second-place Cavaliers (292).

McGibney is tied for 14th in the individual standings with his 72. Junior Christopher Couch is tied for 21st at 73, while Ronan O'Connor (74) is tied for 28th, Keith Crowley (75) is tied for 39th, and Andrew Pitcher (78) is tied for 67th.


Francis Marion's Matt Jackson is competing as an individual and is tied for 84th after an opening-round 81.

The Patriots will be paired with USC and UVA on Sunday, with tee-times beginning at 12:30 p.m.

UNC Wilmington's Josh Brock leads all golfers after a 5-under 67 on Saturday.


Cavalier Classic

Round: 1

Fin. School Scores

1 South Carolina 286 -2
2 Virginia, U. of 292 +4
3 Francis Marion U. 294 +6

Bid for Tee-Times at Many of the Best Courses in the Carolinas and Beyond

Hundreds of tee-times at many of the best courses in the Carolinas and beyond are going under the virtual hammer in an innovative online auction to raise money for turfgrass research. The Rounds4Research.com auction runs through May 6 and opens the doors to some of the most exclusive private clubs in the region such as Long Cove, Secession, Yeamans Hall and Cape Fear.

Two-time U.S. Open Championship venue, Pinehurst No. 2, and PGA Tour stops, Harbour Town Golf Links and Sedgefield Country Club, are also among courses on offer. Rounds4Research.com also offers some of the best golf in the Dominican Republic and Bermuda as well as in states surrounding the Carolinas.

Within just 72 hours of its launch, the auction presented by the Carolinas Golf Course Superintendents Association had received bids totaling close to $20,000. Proceeds will help offset mounting budget pressures on world-class turfgrass research programs at Clemson University and North Carolina State University.

“Golfers reap the benefits of the work these researchers perform and now this auction gives them a chance to say thanks and to enjoy some great golf at great prices at the same time,” says Carolinas GCSA president, Paul Jett, certified golf course superintendent at Pinehurst No. 2.

“With all the gloom and doom being cast about because of the economy, we’re glad to offer something so positive for everyone involved including golfers, the universities and the states of North and South Carolina which benefit so much from the golf industry.”

The auction timing is ideal for securing a special gift for Father’s Day, which falls on June 21 this year.

Visit: www.Rounds4Research.com

Patriot Golfers at Cavalier Classic this weekend

FLORENCE, SC - The Francis Marion University men’s golf team will conclude its 2008-09 season when the Patriots play in the 22nd-annual Cavalier Classic, hosted by the University of Virginia, on Saturday and Sunday (April 25-26) at the par-72, 6,875-yard Birdwood Golf Course in Charlottesville.
Francis Marion owns a 94-49-2 record this season, including four Top-5 finishes in 10 events.

The 18-team field for this year’s tournament includes Akron, Appalachian State, Augusta State, East Carolina, FMU, George Mason, James Madison, Liberty, Longwood, Maryland, Radford, Rutgers, Seton Hall, South Carolina, Towson, UNC Wilmington and Villanova.

The host Cavaliers will attempt to win their third straight team title after posting back-to-back wins in 2007 and 2008. The 36-hole tournament will feature 18 holes of competition on Saturday and Sunday. Both rounds will begin at 8 a.m. from the first tee.

Francs Marion is scheduled to begin play Saturday at 8:45 a.m. and will be paired with James Madison and Liberty.
The Patriots’ five-man team will consist of junior Christopher Couch (74.57 stroke average) and four seniors: Keith Crowley (74.82), Andrew Pitcher (74.86), Peter McGibney (75.11), and Ronan O’Connor (76.40). Junior Matt Jackson (75.64) will compete as an individual.

Coker Golf Finishes Second at Conference Championship, Marsh and Polo Make All-Tournament Team

Courtesy of Belmont Abbey Sports Information
4/21/2009

Clemmons, N.C. - The Barton men and the Pfeiffer women claimed the 2009 Conference Carolinas and women's golf championships, hosted by Belmont Abbey College at the Tanglewood Park Championship course. Barton won by two shots over Coker, while Pfeiffer won by nine shots over Belmont Abbey College. Belmont Abbey junior Carley Warrington and Limestone's Kyle Scruggs won the individual titles. Warring won by two strokes, while Scruggs posted a 216 to win by one shot.

The men's tournament was lengthened by two rain delays in the final two hours of competition. The final putt dropped at 7:25 p.m.

In the women's tournament, Pfeiffer won back-to-back titles after leading all 54 holes of competition, posting a final team score of 958 to defeat Belmont Abbey by nine strokes. Charlene
Reid led the Falcon efforts with a second place finish with a score of 234. Warrington won her second tournament of the spring with the two shot victory, edging Reid by two shots with a three-day score of 232. She carded rounds of 82, 73 and 77. Queens finished third with a score of 973, while Anderson (1002), Mount Olive (1054), Erskine (1125) and Limestone (1255) rounded out the field.

The men's tournament came down to the final group as Jonathan Burke posted a par on the final hole to clinch the title for the Bulldogs, which edged Coker by two shots. Barton posted a three-day score of 885, including a 298 today. Belmont Abbey finished third with a score of 890. Limestone (899), led by Scrugg's medalist-winning score of 216 finished fourth. Scruggs edged out Coker's Chris Marsh and Burke by one shot. Queens (903), Anderson (905), Pfeiffer (907), Mount Olive (910), St. Andrews Presbyterian (924), Erskine (937) and Lees-McRae (1141) rounded out the field.


Women's All-Tournament Team:
Carley Warrington, Belmont Abbey - Medalist/Trny MVP
Lina Elmstater, Pfeiffer
Brittany Beltran, Pfeiffer
Camilla Mallberg, Queens
Julia Wennerlund, Queens
Michele Low, Belmont Abbey
Rita Kim, Belmont Abbey
Hilary Armel, Queens
Kristin Moberg, Mount Olive
Sophie Dembroski, Anderson


Men's All-Tournament Team:
Kyle Scruggs, Limestone - Medalist/Tourney MVP
Chris Marsh, Coker
Jonathan Burke, Barton
Adam Sheriff, Anderson
Joe Campbell, Belmont Abbey
Thomas Muto Jr., Barton
Andrew Hodge, Queens
Pete Skirptas, Mount Olive
Daniel Castleberry, Barton
Peter Tarver-Jones, Belmont Abbey
Andrew Shiflet, Pfeiffer
Diego Polo, Coker

Women's Final Results

Men's Final Results

Coker Golf Moves to Third in Conference Championship

Courtesy of Belmont Abbey Sports Information
4/20/2009

Clemmons, N.C. - The Barton College men and the Pfeiffer women lead after 36 holes of the 2009 Conference Carolinas championship, hosted by Belmont Abbey College at the Tanglewood Park Championship course in Clemmons, North Carolina.

Barton entered the day trailing Belmont Abbey by four strokes but now leads the Crusaders by four strokes after carding a 294 today. The Abbey, which opened with a 289, posted a 302 today as it trails Barton by four strokes and leads third place Coker by two. Limestone (600), Anderson (603) are fourth and fifth, while Pfeiffer and Mount Olive are tied for sixth at 604. Queens holds down eighth, while St. Andrews Presbyterian (616), Erskine (622) and Lees-McRae (760) round out seven through 11.

Anderson University's Adam Sherriff leads the individual tournament by two strokes over Belmont Abbey's Peter Tarver Jones. After posting a four over 74 yesterday, Sheriff posted a 68 today, tying the tournament low. Tarver Jones is alone in second, while Barton's Jonathan Burke and Daniel Castleberry, along with Pfeiffer's Andrew Shiflett, are tied for third. Shiflet posted a 68 in yesterday's opening round.

In the women's tournament, Pfeiffer maintained its lead from yesterday, but Queens jumped into the second position behind Camilla Malberg's even par 72. The Lady Falcons posted a team score of 317, two shots fewer than Sunday's total, while the Royals jumped from a 335 to a 307 today. Belmont Abbey is in third place with a 646, ten shots shy of Pfeiffer and four of Queens, while Anderson (679), Mount Olive (697), Erskine (750) and Limestone (837) round out four through eight.

Belmont Abbey junior Carley Warrington leads the individual title after posting a one over par 73 today, nine shots better than yesterday's total. Mallberg and Pfeiffer's Lina Elmstater are just one shot back. All three of those ladies will be paired together in Tuesday's final round.

The final round gets underway Tuesday morning as the men tee off the tenth tee beginning at 8:00 a.m., while the women will begin on number one starting at 8:40 a.m.

Round 2 Men's Results

Round 2 Women's Results

Round 3 Men's Tee Times

Round 3 Women's Tee Times

Coker Sweeps Conference Golfer and Coach of the Year Awards

Chris Marsh Named Golfer of the Year and Tommy Baker Named Coach of the Year
4/19/2009

High Point, N.C. > The Conference Carolinas All-Conference Teams were determined by vote from each Head Coach of participating league institutions. Nominations were collected and then voted upon by ballot and tallied to determine Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, Coach of the Year, All-Conference First Team, All-Conference Second Team and All-Conference Third Team. Awards were presented at the league golf team banquet at the Conference Tournament Championships co-hosted by Belmont Abbey College and the Tanglewood Park Championship Golf Course in Clemons, NC. This year's award winners are as follows:

Player of the Year:
Chris Marsh, Coker

Freshman of the Year:
Luke McClellan, Limestone

Coach of the Year:
Tommy Baker, Coker

All-Conference First Team:
Jonathan Burke, Barton
Adam Sheriff, Anderson
Chris Marsh, Coker
Scott Woodard, Mount Olive
Patrick Wilson, Erskine

All-Conference Second Team:
John LaDow, Coker
Tom Muto Jr., Barton
Pete Skirpstas, Mount Olive
Chris Carvill, Belmont Abbey
Luke McClellan, Limestone

All-Conference Third Team:
Laurence Noott, Pfeiffer
Peter Tarver Jones, Belmont Abbey
Joe Campbell, Belmont Abbey
Andrew Hodge, Queens
Connor Tomlinson, Belmont Abbey

Coker in Fourth After Round One of Conferenece Golf Championship

Courtesy of Belmont Abbey Sports Information
4/19/2009

Clemmons, N. C.- The Belmont Abbey men and the Pfeiffer women lead after the opening round of the 2009 Conference Carolinas Championships, hosted by Belmont Abbey at the Tanglewood Park Championship Course in Clemmons, North Carolina.

Belmont Abbey fired an opening round team score of 289 as it leads Barton by five shots. Pfeiffer (295) and Coker (296) hold down the third and fourth spots, respectively, while Anderson (301), Limestone (305), Queens (306), St. Andrews Presbyterian (307), Erskine (308), Mount Olive (311) and Lees-McRae (377) round out the standings.

Pfeiffer's Andrew Shiflet was the only player on the men's and women's side to break par, as he carded a two-under 68, leading Belmont Abbey's Peter Tarver Jones and Karan Singh by one and two strokes, respectively.

Barton holds down the second spot after its top three players all posted rounds of three over or better, as Thomas Munto Jr fired an opening round 72 to lead the Bulldog efforts.

Lees-McRae's Mike Corboy posted the only hole-in-one of the day, acing the par three, 190 yard 16th hole with a seven iron. It was the first ace in his lifetime.

In the women's tournament, Pfeiffer holds a 12 shot lead over Belmont Abbey, posting a team score of 319. It has the individual leader, as Charlene Reid fired a four over par 76, leading her teammate Lina Elmstater by one shot.

Michelle Low led the Abbey efforts with a nine over par 81 as the Lady Crusaders opened with a 331. Queens (335) holds down third, while Anderson (339), Mount Olive (353), Erskine (392) and Limestone (419) round out the field. St. Andrews Presbyterian has just three available players and they are competing as individuals, as NCAA rules mandate that a team must have at least four players to count towards the team standings.

Coker Teams Prepare for Spring Conference Tournaments

by Christian Stryker, SID Coker College
4/16/2009

Hartsville, S.C. - With the end of the spring semester comes the busiest weekend in Conference Carolinas Athletics, the spring sports championship weekend. Starting Thursday, April 16, through Tuesday, April 21, more than 20 softball games, 16 baseball games, 24 tennis matches and three rounds of golf will be played, with the Coker Cobras looking to bring a championship back to Hartsville in each sport. Four of Coker's five spring sports have qualified for the conference championship tournaments that begin with Coker baseball playing at 10:00 a.m. Thursday.

The Coker Softball team is the No. 8 seed as they enter the conference softball tournament. The Lady Cobras are looking to use a "home field" advantage to their favor, as the conference tournament will be played in Hartsville at the Byerly Park Recreational Complex. Last time Coker hosted the softball tournament, 2007, the Lady Cobras were able to bring the conference championship back home defeating Queens University of Charlotte 1-0 in the championship game. Coker (16-17, 8-10 Conf. Carolinas) will take on the No. 9 seed Barton Bulldogs in their first game of the tournament on Friday at 10:00 a.m.

The Cobra Baseball team will be the first Coker team to take the field as the No. 9 seed in their tournament. They will face No. 8 seed St. Andrews at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, at Barton College in Wilson, NC, with the winner advancing to play No. 1 seed Belmont Abbey College. Coker (17-23, 4-15 Conf. Carolinas) is looking to bounce back after a tough season, and hopefully make a run at the conference championship.

The Women's Tennis team enters their championship with one of the best records in the conference. The Lady Cobras enter the No. 4 seed in the tournament, their highest seed in school history. Coker (8-4, 5-3 Conf. Carolinas) will face the No. 5 seed Limestone in their opening match Friday at noon at the Palmetto Tennis Center in Sumter, SC. Unfortunately for the Cobra men, they did not qualify for tournament play, as only the top eight teams advance to the post season. Coker (0-12, 0-7 Conf. Carolinas) finished in ninth place in the conference standings.

Finally, there is the Coker College Golf team. The Cobras will be traveling to Clemmons, NC, to play their tournament at Salem Glenn Country Club. The Cobras enter the tournament as the favorite to win, having placed in the top five in eight of their nine tournaments this year, including three tournament victories; Coker College Intercollegiate, Tusculum Invitational and Carolina Sands Intercollegiate. The Cobras are led by two-time Conference Carolinas Golfer of the Month and 2008 Second Team All-Conference performer, Chris Marsh. Marsh has a 72.2 stroke average in 20 rounds played this year, while taking medalist honors at three tournaments, including setting a course record 64 at the Cougar Point Golf Club at Kiawah Island. The Cobras tee it up starting Monday at Salem Glenn.

2009 Verizon Heritage PGA TOUR Golf Event Goes Green

Perf Go Green Holdings, Inc. ("Perf Go Green")(OTCBB:PGOG), the leader in biodegradable plastic products and everyday green solutions, today announced its partnership with the 2009 Verizon Heritage PGA TOUR event. The April 13-19 event at the Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, will use Perf Go Green biodegradable commercial trash bags for their entire golf tournament operations next week during the PGA TOUR event. The Verizon Heritage will be one of the first PGA TOUR golf tournaments to go green.

"We at Perf Go Green are proud to partner with such a prestigious PGA TOUR event as the Verizon Heritage in Hilton Head as part of our initiative to stop trashing the planet and to embrace solutions that will help us live on a cleaner and healthier planet," said Tony Tracy, Perf Go Green Chairman and CEO. "Everyone at Perf Go Green believes in reusing, recycling, and reducing our impact on the environment as much as possible by providing eco-conscious products that will help facilitate a greener lifestyle."

"With 135,000 spectators enjoying our professional golf event, the Verizon Heritage obviously uses a lot of trash bags," said Tournament Director Steve Wilmot. "The decision to go with Perf Go Green was easy, they work great and are eco-friendly."

American Indian Women of Proud Nations Charity Golf Outing May 11

PEMBROKE, N.C. – The American Indian Women of Proud Nations Third Annual Golf Tournament comes to Robeson County on May 11, 2009. The outing will be held at Pine Crest Country Club in Lumberton.

Funds from the event are for the American Indian Scholarship Fund. Enjoy a complete program of special events, 18 holes of golf (including cart), lunch, door prizes for each player and an exciting awards banquet. The golf outing is a part of the Third Annual Conference for American Indian Women of Proud Nations. This year’s intergenerational conference at The University of North Carolina in Pembroke is scheduled for September 23-25, 2009. Elders, youth, young professionals, leaders in the Indian and non-Indian community, regardless of gender or race, are encouraged to attend. The conference theme, “Patchwork to Holism: Spirituality, Health, Education, Economics and Community,” compels tribes and organizations to stand together to build healthy Indian communities.

The conference will convene on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 6:00 pm with a film on the lawn of the University Center Annex. Several exciting and informative workshops will be offered daily, including ceremonies honoring our elders and children and a special session for young professional and emerging leaders. There will also be an exhibition of vendors in the lobby of the Givens Performing Arts Center. Registration begins at 8 am, with tee-off at 9 pm. The cost for this event is only $60. This price includes entry into all events, 18 holes of golf, riding cart, lunch and various awards. To properly plan for this event, please pre-register by calling Frank at 704.305.1713 or Kayron at 910.827.4454. This event is limited to 72 golfers. Call now to reserve your team.

Francis Marion moves up to Sixth-Place Tie at Palisades Collegiate Classic

Charlotte, NC – Paced by a trio of even-par 72 rounds by Christopher Couch, Andrew Pitcher, and Peter McGibney, the Francis Marion University golf team improved one spot to finish tied for sixth place at the Palisades Collegiate Golf Classic on Tuesday (April 14).

The 54-hole tournament, included 15 teams, and was held at the par 72, 6,797-yard Palisades Country Club.

FMU was sixth after the opening 18 holes, and seventh after Monday’s second round. The Patriots rallied to shoot a 290 team score on Tuesday and tie the University of West Florida at 874.

Virginia Commonwealth University (836) claimed an easy seven-stroke win over the University of Louisville (843). Marquette University (858) was third, followed by Old Dominion University (868), Belmont Abbey College (873), and FMU and UWF.

Couch (71-72-72=215) finished tied for 16th place at one-under par. FMU senior Keith Crowley (76-67-74=217) tied for 22nd position, while Matt Jackson (70-75-81=226) tied for 45th, and McGibney (76-79-72=227) and Pitcher (78-77-72=227) tied for 53rd place. Jackson recorded a tournament-best two eagles during the event, while Crowley carded 14 birdies, third-best in the field.

Marquette's Mike Van Sickle earned medalist honors after carding a final-round 66 to finish at 16-under-par 200, two strokes ahead of VCU's Vincent Nadeau.

Francis Marion will conclude its 2008-09 season on Apr. 25-26 when the Patriots play in the Cavalier Classic, hosted by the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va.

Patriots 7th After Two Rounds at Palisades Collegiate Classic

Charlotte, N.C. - Senior Keith Crowley shot a second-round five-under-par 67 to help lead Francis Marion University to a seventh-place standing at the Palisades Collegiate Golf Classic on Monday (April 13).

The 54-hole tournament is being hosted by Charlotte, Davidson College, and Belmont Abbey College. The third round will be Tuesday at the Palisades Country Club, with tee times starting at 8:30 a.m.

FMU was sixth after the opening 18 holes, but dropped one position in the 15-team field over the second 18 holes.

VCU holds a five-stroke lead in the team standings with a two-round total of 552. Louisville is in second at 557, 10 strokes ahead of third-place Marquette (567). Francis Marion shot rounds of 293 and 291 to stand at 584.

Crowley (76-67=143) and Christopher Couch (71-72=143) are tied for 19th position, while Matt Jackson (70-75=145) is tied for 25th, and Peter McGibney (76-79=155) and Andrew Pitcher (78-77=155) are tied for 69th place.

While two players, Marquette's Mike Van Sickle and VCU's Vincent Nadeau, posted scores that would have tied the tournament's 18-hole record (-7, 65) in round two, Louisville's Riley Wheeldon blistered the record with an 11-under par, 61. Wheeldon and Nadeau share the 36-hole lead at 12-under par, 132.




Palisades Collegiate Classic
Par-Yardage: 72-6797
Fin. School Scores
1 VCU 282 270 552

2 Louisville, U. of 290 267 557

3 Marquette University 283 284 567


4 Old Dominion Univ. 294 278 572

5 Belmont Abbey Coll. 292 285 577


6 West Florida, U. of 289 289 578

7 Francis Marion U. 293 291 584


T 8 Charlotte 296 291 587

T 8 Richmond, Univ. of 301 286 587


10 Kennesaw St. Univ. 298 292 590


11 Longwood University 296 295 591

12 Davidson College 296 296 592


13 Nebraska, U. of 298 301 599


14 Winthrop University 307 296 603

15 Elon University 298 306 604