WILMINGTON, N.C. – With three golfers among the top 10 individuals, Campbell won the team title Monday at the Seahawk Intercollegiate men's golf tournament. Gaston Bertinotti tied for third, Thomas La Morte was seventh and Craig Hornberger tied for ninth as the Camels finished the 54-hole event at 880 strokes (302-282-296), five strokes better than runner-up and 30th-ranked Georgia (885).
Campbell's men won a team crown for the first time since claiming the Bash at the Beach title in March 2012. The triumph also marked the 122nd tournament coaching win for Campbell head coach John Crooks, who is in his 25th year in charge of the Campbell men and 24th at the helm of the women's program. Campbell's men have won 46 titles under Crooks' direction.
"Conditions were tough for everybody this week," said Campbell head coach John Crooks. "We have five guys who are competitors and we've had some highs and lows. It was good to see that they've hung in there. We're just trying to get a little better every day. That mantra finally caught on."
Bertinotti shot 74-70-74 to finish at 2-over-par 218, two strokes behind co-medalists Adam Ball of VCU (77-68-71—216) and Lee McCoy of Georgia (70-72-74—216). No one in the 78-man field finished in red numbers on the par-72, 6916-yard Country Club of Landfall Ocean and Marsh layout.
A sophomore from Cordoba, Argentina, Bertinotti led the field in par-four scoring (-2) and tied for fourth with 12 birdies. His third-place effort marked his second top-10 individual showing this year, including a win last October at the Old Dominion OBX Collegiate.
In only his fourth collegiate event, La Morte produced his first top-10 finish by shooting 75-73-72—220. The freshman from Demarest, N.J., played the final 36 holes one over and made 36 pars in the 54-hole event, tied for fourth in the field. La Morte played the par-four holes at 4-over (T7th) and was one-over on the par three layouts (T12th).
Hornberger notched his second-straight top-10 and third of the year by shooting 75-72-75—222. Only Bertinotti played the par-four holes better than the sophomore from Lancaster, Pa., who was one-under on those layouts. Hornberger made 11 birdies to tie for seventh in the field.
Nevius earned his fourth top-20 showing of the season by shooting 79-67-79—225 to tie for 20th. A red-shirt freshman from Metuchen, N.J., Nevius recorded his collegiate low round on Sunday afternoon and tallied 11 birdies over the 54-hole event, while playing the par-four holes at 4-over (tied for seventh).
Junior Mikko Lehtovuori moved up to a tie for 48th place after shooting three-over-par on Monday (78-79-75—232). The native of Lahti, Finland played the par three holes at 2-under, second-best in the field.
Campbell returns to action Apr. 10-11 at the Liberty Spring Invitational.
2015 Seahawk Intercollegiate
CC of Landfall (Ocean & Marsh)/ Wilmington, N.C.
Mar. 29-30, 2015 / Par 72, 6916 Yards
Final Team Results: 1. Campbell 302-282-296—880, 2. Georgia 294-298-293—885, 3. Army 296-290-300—886, 4. Virginia Commonwealth 303-296-293—892, 5. Harvard 294-294-311—899, 6. Old Dominion 307-284-310—901, 7. Loyola (Maryland) 305-296-302—903, 8. Columbia 311-295-304—910, T9. Elon 299-294-318—911, T9. UNC Wilmington 306-299-306—911, 11. Richmond 316-303-299—918, 12. George Mason 322-303-310—935, 13. George Washington 310-304-322—936, 14. South Dakota State 316-307-326—949.
Final Individual Leaders: T1. Adam Ball (VCU) 77-68-71—216, T1. Lee McCoy (Georgia) 70-72-74—216, T3. Gaston Bertinotti (Campbell) 74-70-74—218, T3. *Mookie DeMoss (Georgia) 74-71-73—218, T3. Zach Healy (Georgia) 74-73-71—218, T3. Peter Kim (Army) 72-70-76—218,
* individual; did not count in team score
Other Campbell Individuals: 7. Thomas La Morte 75-73-72—220, T9. Craig Hornberger 75-72-75—222, T20. Jeremy Nevius 79-67-79—225, T48. Mikko Lehtovuori 78-79-75—232.
