NINETY SIX, S.C. – Gaston Bertinotti tied for fifth place individually and Campbell was runner-up in the team standings following Tuesday's final round of the Big South Conference men's golf championship at The Patriot Golf Club.
A sophomore from Cordoba, Argentina, Bertinotti produced his second-straight top-five finish in Big South Championship play following a 2014 runner-up showing. He shot 69-73-69—211 to finish five-under-par, three strokes behind individual champion R.J. Keur of Charleston Southern (70-69-69—208).
Charleston Southern shot 10-under as a team on Tuesday to move four spots up the leader board and claim the team title at 11-under-par 853 (286-289-278). Campbell also moved up four places by producing the second-lowest round of the day (283) and finishing the 54-hole event at five-under par (286-290-283—859). Winthrop was third (861) followed by 36-hole leader Coastal Carolina (864) in the 10-school field.
Campbell's second-place showing was its best in its conference tournament since returning to the Big South in 2011-12. The runner-up finish was CU's best overall since winning the 2009 Atlantic Sun title.
CU's final round 283 was the school's second-lowest ever in Big South Championship play and its 54-hole total (859) was the school's best in the event and tied for eighth-best overall in Big South tourney action.
Bertinotti made 13 birdies (tied for fifth in the field) and 33 pars and his 54-hole score was the best by a Campbell player in Big South tournament play since Mark Kittrell tied for second in the inaugural league championship in 1985 with 209 strokes (70-72-70) at Forest Hills Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. Bertinotti played the par-four holes at two-under, tied for fourth-best in the 50-golfer field.
In addition to earning a spot on the All-Championship team for the second-straight year, Bertinotti was joined teammate Thomas La Morte on the all-conference team, which was announced following the conclusion of play Tuesday. Bertinotti had three top-five finishes in nine events during 2014-15, including his first collegiate win last October at the Old Dominion OBX Collegiate.
La Morte tied for 11th (71-72-72—215) to earn his fourth top-20 finish in six tournaments this spring. The freshman from Demarest, N.J., made 39 pars (tied for fifth) and eight birdies while playing the par-four holes at three-under, third best in the field. He also earned a place on the Big South All-Freshman team.
Junior Mikko Lehtovuori of Lahti, Finland turned in a final-round 70 and finished in a tie for 18th place at two-over 218 (76-72-70). He made 36 pars and nine birdies on the par-72, 7120-yard Patriot layout and earned his second-straight top-20 showing at the Big South event. Lehtovuori was also named to the Big South men's golf All-Academic team. He carries a 3.93 grade-point average as a business administration major.
Sophomore Craig Hornberger of Lancaster, Pa., finished in a tie for 21st place (71-75-73—219), while red-shirt freshman Jeremy Nevius of Metuchen, N.J., tied for 24th (75-73-72—220). Both Hornberger and Nevius made 10 birdies during the event. Nevius, who played every round for CU this season and produced four top-20 finishes in 10 events, joined La Morte on the All-Freshman team.
Big South Conference Men's Golf Championship
The Patriot GC / Ninety Six, S.C.
Apr. 19-21, 2015 / Par 72, 7120 Yards
Final Team Results: 1. Charleston Southern 286-289-278—853, 2. Campbell 286-290-283—859, 3. Winthrop 287-286-288—861, 4. Coastal Carolina 281-284-299—864, 5. Liberty 286-283-296—865, 6. Gardner-Webb 283-289-298—870, 7. Presbyterian 294-291-294—879, 8. Radford 284-297-304—885, 9. Longwood 295-299-303—897, 10. High Point 300-312-305—917.
Final Individual Leaders (Top Five All-Championship Team): 1. R.J. Keur (Charleston Southern) 70-69-69—208. T2. Zach Seabolt (Winthrop) 71-68-70—209. T2. Blake Carter (Longwood) 68-70-71—209, 4. Vincent Blanchette (Gardner-Webb) 68-71-71—210, T5. Gaston Bertinotti (Campbell) 69-73-69—211, T5. Mathieu Fenasse (Liberty) 69-70-72—211.
Other Campbell Individuals: T11. Thomas La Morte 71-72-72—215, T18. Mikko Lehtovuori 76-72-70—218, T21. Craig Hornberger 71-75-73—219, T. 24. Jeremy Nevius 75-73-72—220.
Big South Conference
Men's Golf 2014-15 Post-Season Honors
All-Conference Team
Zach Seabolt, Winthrop
Ben Wheeler, Coastal Carolina
Andrew Dorn, Coastal Carolina
Mathieu Fenasse, Liberty
Isaiah Logue, Liberty
Conner Hayden, Radford
Gaston Bertinotti, Campbell
Ryan Rettberg, Radford
Thomas La Morte, Campbell
Jack Sides, High Point
R.J. Keur, Charleston Southern
All-Freshman Team
Isaiah Logue, Liberty
Thomas La Morte, Campbell
R.J. Keur, Charleston Southern
Payton Taylor, Liberty
Jeremy Nevius, Campbell
All-Championship Team (Top 5 including ties)
R.J. Keur, Charleston Southern
Blake Carter, Longwood
Zach Seabolt, Winthrop
Vincent Blanchette, Gardner-Webb
Gaston Bertinotti, Campbell
Mathieu Fenasse, Liberty
All-Academic Team
Mikko Lehtovuori, Jr., Campbell
Ben Wheeler, Sr., Coastal Carolina
Matt Yelverton, Sr., Gardner-Webb
Jack Sides, Soph., High Point
Mathieu Fenasse, Sr., Liberty
Clayton Forren, Soph., Longwood
Hayden Ploeger, Soph., Presbyterian
Tanner Carbaugh, Sr., Radford
Nick Eberhardt, Jr., Winthrop
Golfer of the Year
Zach Seabolt, Soph., Winthrop
Freshman of the Year
Isaiah Logue, Liberty
Coach of the Year
Kevin Pendley, Winthrop
Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Matt Yelverton, Sr., Gardner-Webb
