The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Barona Collegiate Cup
Men's Golf Team Finishes Seventh At Barona Collegiate Cup
3/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
March 26, 2010
LAKESIDE, Calif. - UAB sophomore Blake Watts recorded a hole-in-one during Friday's final round and senior John Darby finished 14th overall to lead the UAB men's golf team to a 7th place finish at the 2010 Barona Cup Intercollegiate at the Barona Creek Golf Club. The Blazers finished with a team score of 1115 (368-377-370) in the two-day, 54-hole event where team scores consist of the lowest five individuals from each six-player team.
"I thought we played well and I am pleased with this result," UAB head coach Alan Kaufman said. "We had consistent play from top to bottom and we played well around the greens. Hopefully we can learn from the good things we did here and apply them the rest of the season."
Watts' hole-in-one came on the 167-yard par three 11th-hole. It marked his first career hole-in-one at UAB and the first since Kaylor Timmons recorded a hole-in-one during the 2008 fall campaign. The Fort Payne, Ala. native finished the day with a one-over par 73 and tied for 64th overall with a 229 (77-79-73).
"Blake hit a great shot that just took a couple of bounces and went right in," Kaufman said. "It's always a special thing to witness."
Darby was outstanding throughout the tournament, finishing with a two-over par 218 (73-75-70). Senior Blake West (69-73-78), who shot a tournament-best round of 69 during the opening 18 holes, tied his twin brother Adam West (72-74-74) for 22nd overall, with both carding a four-over par 220.
Senior Cathal O'Malley closed play behind Watts with a 231 (77-76-78) to finish tied for 70th, while redshirt freshman Austen Dailey carded a 233 to tie for 77th.
Tournament host San Diego State (1072), ranked 35th in the nation, captured the Barona Collegiate Cup title in convincing fashion, winning by 22 strokes ahead of second-place UC Irvine (1094). The nation's top-ranked team, Oregon, finished third overall with a 1097, while Nevada (1098) and Northwestern (1104) rounded out the top five.
The Blazers will next be in action on April 5-6 when they compete at the Reunion Intercollegiate in Jackson, Miss.
