TOLEDO, OH - Toledo concluded play at the 20th annual PING/Golfweek Preview on Tuesday with a 15th-place finish. The tournament was played at the par-71, 7,255-yard Inverness Club and served as a preview for the 2009 NCAA Championships. Golfers had to deal with some afternoon showers in today's action after playing the first two rounds on a sun-filled course.
Oklahoma State captured the Preview title for a record fourth time in tournament history. The Cowboys led wire-to-wire and finished with an Inverness team record of nine?under par 843 (282-277-284), 19 strokes lower than Florida State's mark from last year's Inverness Intercollegiate.
The Cowboys held a commanding 16-stroke advantage over second-place Tennessee (284-283-292=859) and were 18 shots ahead of third-place Georgia (290-285-286=861). Southern Cal (286-291-290) and Alabama (294-288-286) rounded out the top five with scores of 867 and 868, respectively.
Volunteer sophomore Robin Wingardh (69-67-71) and Cowboy freshman Morgan Hoffmann (69-66-72) shared medalist honors at six-under par 207. Hoffmann held a three-stroke lead heading into the final two holes but bogeyed the par-four, 470-yard 17th hole and double-bogeyed the par-four, 354-yard 18th hole. Wingardh took advantage by parring the final two holes to earn a share of the title.
Sophomore Ben Boyer led the Rockets in the tournament, tying for 34th place with a nine-over par 222 (75-73-74). Junior Jerel Whiting tied for 67th place at 233 (76-76-81), freshman Michael Cermak came in 73rd place at 236 (83-73-80), sophomore Nathan Wine finished 74th at 237 (80-77-80) and sophomore Jean-Hubert Trahan placed 75th at 238 (85-77-76).
“Ben has been really working hard and it's nice to see his efforts starting to pay off with improved play,” Toledo Head Coach Jamie Mauntler said. “We're a very young team and this was a good learning experience for us that hopefully can pay off down the road.”
The Rockets will now be idle until heading down I-75 for the Xavier Intercollegiate on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 13-14
Team Standings
1. Oklahoma State 282-277-284=843 (-9); 2. Tennessee 284-283-292=859 (+7); 3. Georgia 290-285-286=861 (+9); 4. Southern Cal 286-291-290=867 (+15); 5. Alabama 294-288-286=868 (+16); 6. Arizona State 292-292-286=870 (+18); T7. Clemson 294-281-299=874 (+22); T7. Georgia Tech 296-283-295=874 (+22); 9. Florida 291-297-291=879 (+27); 10. Florida State 299-292-295=886 (+34); 11. Chattanooga 299-300-294=893 (+41); 12. Charlotte 296-296-302=894 (+42); 13. Texas A&M 296-306-293=895 (+43); 14. Kent State 299-292-306=897 (+45); 15. Toledo 314-299-310=923 (+71)
Top 5 Individuals
1. Morgan Hoffman (OSU) 69-66=135 (-7); 2. Robin Wingardh (Tenn.) 69-67=136 (-6); 3. Trent Leon (OSU) 70-73-66=209 (-4); 4. Rickie Fowler (OSU) 68-69-73=210 (-3); T5. Kyle Stanley (Clemson) 69-68-74=211 (-2); T5. Bud Cauley (Alabama) 75-68-68=211 (-2); T5. Jesper Kennegard (ASU) 70-70-71=211 (-2)
Toledo Individuals
T34. Ben Boyer 75-73-74=222 (+9); T67. Jerel Whiting 76-76-81=233 (+20); 73. Michael Cermak 83-73-80=236 (+23); 74. Nathan Wine 80-77-80=237 (+24); 75. Jean-Hubert Trahan 85-77-76=238 (+25)
