UNC men's golf starts season with first place finish at Turning State Intercollegiate

After a successful 2018-19 season, where the team advanced to the NCAA Championship round, the University of North Carolina men's golf team looked to continue success at its 2019-20 season opener on Sept. 1-2 at the Turning State Intercollegiate in Verona, N.Y. After two days on the course, Carolina came out on top, earning titles in the process. 

What happened?

The Tar Heels shot 18-under-270 in Sunday’s afternoon round and went on to shoot 19-under-269 in Monday’s final round to win the Turning Stone Tiger Intercollegiate by 35 strokes. This mark is the second lowest in UNC history, just one stroke off the record set at the Bridgestone in Greensboro in 2010. 

The Tar Heels shot 283-270-269–822. The 822 total strokes are the third fewest recorded over 54 holes and 42 under par is the second-best score ever to par in school history.

Of the nine players that traveled to N.Y., Carolina had four players finish in the top seven, seven players finish in the top 14 and eight in the top 25. 

“We got all nine guys out on the road, traveling and competing together, which in our sport is very rare,” head coach Andrew DiBitetto said. “I just thought it was a great way to start the season for all nine guys to pack up, travel together and have an opportunity to compete.” 

Junior Ryan Gerard finished fourth at seven under, senior Austin Hitt posted a 67 to finish seventh, sophomore Dougie Ergood came out eleventh at even par, Luis Castro finished twelfth and first-year Kenan Poole finished 14th.

Tournament host Missouri finished second (-7) and Boston College and Delaware tied for third (+27) and Valparaiso was fifth (+38).

Who stood out?

Sophomore Ryan Burnett and first-year Austin Greaser both had excellent rounds. 

Burnett won his first collegiate title after shooting 69-65-64, an 18-under-par total of 198. He shot 64 in Monday’s final round to tie the course record (set by Greaser on Sunday) and his total strokes and score to par are the second lowest recorded for a 54-hole tournament in the history of Carolina men’s golf. With his scores, Burnett became just the third Tar Heel to shoot under 200 for a 54-hole tournament. Burnett also led the tournament in birdies with 22 and was 10 under on par 4s, four better than the next golfer.

Burnett took home the title, but Greaser was next best in the tournament. He shoot 11 under, making his score the highest-recorded finish in a college debut by a first-year in Carolina men’s golf history. 

When was it decided?

On Sunday, the Tar Heels trailed the tournament-host team Missouri in the opening rounds, but solid performances by Carolina players led to the top spot by the end of day one. The victory was sealed day two with Carolina dominating the par 3s and par 4s and ending with a strong overall team score.  

“We continually talk about the culture of our team, the identity of our team and I would say our guys executed that to perfection in the final round,” DiBitetto said. “We talked about being a team that when we’re a couple shots behind, rallies, and comes back and then being a team that when we do have a lead, we extend that lead. They were just absolutely resilient and relentless on the golf course the entire time.”

Why does it matter?

With this victory, the Tar Heels are starting their season off with a bang and have established a team identity. 

Turning Stone is the fourth team title secured within the last three seasons under head coach DiBitetto. This is the first title since the Tar Heel Intercollegiate in March 2019 and the first on an away course since the 2018 Western Intercollegiate in Santa Cruz, Calif.

When do they play next?

Men’s golf returns to action Sept. 14-15 at the Rod Myers Invitational in Durham.

@macyemeyer

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