Captains one stroke behind tie for second place

HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Fla. -- The 18th-ranked Christopher Newport University men's golf team wrapped up the season-opening Gordin Classic NCAA D3 Preview with a fourth place finish today after posting a three-day score of 904. The Captains finished just one stroke behind Illinois Wesleyan and Guilford College in a tie for second, while USA South foe Methodist won the event with an 889.

The Captains led a talented field that boasted 17 nationally ranked squads after two days, but slipped to a fourth place finish with a third-day score of 313. Brian Jaeger, Jonathan Howard and Joseph Suarez posted the team's best scores on day three with six-over 78's.

Jaeger finished in a tie for seventh in the event, wrapping up the three-day tournament in 222 strokes (74-70-78), six-over par. Howard was right behind with a +7 tournament, tying for tenth after posting a 223 (73-72-78).

Senior Joseph Evans tied for 27th with a 230 (74-77-79) and rookie Tanner Welsh finished in a tie for 36th with a 232 (76-75-81) in his first collegiate tournament. Suarez rounded out the Captains tourney, posting a 236 (77-81-78). He tied for the team's best score on Tuesday, with a 78, helping the Captains maintain fourth in a highly-contested top of the leaderboard.

Methodist, preseason ranked No. 3 according to the GolfWorld national rankings, won the event with an impressive day three score of 293. The Monarchs went 292-304-293 for a +25 (889) final. The Captains were at +40 with a three-day line of 297-294-313. Noah Ratner (Guilford) won the individual title with a three-under 213 (72-70-71).

The Captains next action will be at the Golfweek Invitational on October 9-11 in Destin, Fla.

2011 Gordin Classic NCAA D3 Preview

Fin. Team Scores

Rd 1 Rd 2 Rd 3 TOT

1. #3 Methodist 292 304 293 889 (+25)

T2. #5 Illinois Wesleyan 295 310 298 903 (+39)

#4 Guilford 303 298 302 903 (+39)

4. #18 Chris. Newport 297 294 313 904 (+40)

5. #7 Oglethorpe 304 293 308 905 (+41)

6. #14 Transylvania 299 312 300 911 (+47)

7. #6 Huntingdon 305 295 313 913 (+49)

8. #2 St. John's (Minn.) 301 310 309 920 (+56)

9. #21 Wittenberg 305 316 301 922 (+58)

T10. #9 Centre 304 309 312 925 (+61)

#1 Greensboro 299 316 310 925 (+61)

12. #20 Millikin 315 306 310 931 (+67)

13. #15 Gustavus Adolphus 301 328 304 933 (+69)

14. #10 Emory 303 320 312 935 (+71)

15. #25 Bridgewater 314 309 313 936 (+72)

16. #17 Wisconsin-Eau Claire 318 314 305 937 (+73)

17. (RV) Ohio Wesleyan 311 315 316 942 (+78)

18. #11 Texas-Lutheran 315 316 320 951 (+87)

4. Christopher Newport 297 294 313 904 (+40)

T7. Brian Jaeger 74 70 78 222 (+6)

T10. Jonathan Howard 73 72 78 223 (+7)

T27. Joseph Evans 74 77 79 230 (+14)

T36. Tanner Welsh 76 75 81 232 (+16)

T53. Joseph Suarez 77 81 78 236 (+20)