The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Reunion Intercollegiate
John Darby Finishes Seventh To Lead UAB At Reunion Intercollegiate
4/6/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
April 6, 2010
MADISON, Miss. - UAB senior golfer John Darby tied for seventh overall to pace the men's golf team, as the Blazers closed play at the Reunion Intercollegiate at Reunion Golf and Country Club on Tuesday. As a team, the Green and Gold closed the two-day, 54-hole event in 13th overall with an 891 (295-291-305).
Darby entered the third round in 15th overall, but he carded a final-round score of 69, which marked the second-best round of his career and his best 18-hole mark this spring. He closed play with a three-under par 213 (73-71-69). As a result, the Birmingham, Ala. native recorded the best finish of his UAB career, topping his previous best finish of 11th place, set at the 2009 Jerry Pate Intercollegiate.
"John played terrific all week long," UAB head coach Alan Kaufman said. "He is playing some of his best golf of the year and is peaking at the right time. Now we need the rest of the team to play at the same type of level on a consistent basis.
"The wind really picked up today, which made the course play more difficult," Kaufman said. "We don't have much time to correct our mistakes before the conference championships, so we have our work cut out for us over the next few weeks."
Sophomore Blake Watts, who recorded a career-best 18-hole score of 69 during the second round, finished tied for 55th overall with a 10-over par 226 (76-69-81). Senior twin brothers Adam (75-74-78) and Blake (73-77-77) West tied for 58th with both shooting a 227, while redshirt freshman Austen Dailey rounded out the Blazers with a 240 (74-85-81).
North Florida, ranked No. 22 in the nation entering the event, carded a 10-under-par 278 on Tuesday's final 18 holes, which was enough to give the Ospreys the team championship. UNF ended the tournament with an 18-under-par 846 total, defeating No. 18 Florida - the leader after each of Monday's first two rounds - by one stroke. Mississippi was the only other team to finish below par after posting an 861 total score.
The Blazers will return to action on April 25-27 when they compete at the 2010 Conference USA Championships in Sorrento, Fla.
