UNION, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University men’s golf team captured the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Regional championship Wednesday with a three-round total of 899.
NKU freshman Jonathan Ehlen fired a 1-over-par 72 during the final round to win the medal with a score of 218 at the par-71 Lassing Pointe Golf Club. Ehlen edged teammate Brandon Parsons - who held a one-stroke lead in the individual competition going into the final round - by one shot for the medal.
Parsons completed the 54-hole tournament in second place with a score of 219. The NKU senior golfer shot a 3-over-par 74 during the final round.
NKU entered the final 18 holes with an eight-stroke lead over Grand Valley State University, but Saginaw Valley State University made a run at the team title by totaling 295 on Wednesday.
The Cardinals closed to within three strokes of the lead after 15 holes before settling for runner-up honors with a three-day total 904. It was NKU’s first regional championship since 2001, when the Norse rallied to win the NCAA Division II North Region title at Bellingham, Mass.
Saginaw Valley State’s Adam Miller shot a 70 Wednesday and tied Lewis University’s Jason Buffone for third place individually with a score of 220. Miller then defeated Buffone in a one-hole playoff to earn a trip to the NCAA Division II national finals as an individual.
In the Central Regional, Washburn (Kan.) University rallied from a six-stroke deficit in the final round to win the team championship with a three-day total of 910. Missouri Southern State University, which held a six-stroke advantage going into Wednesday, totaled a score of 316 (+32) during the final 18 holes and finished in third place.
Truman State University finished second in the team competition with a score of 925.
Brice Garnett of Missouri Western State College and Matt Warnock of Washburn tied for the medal with three-day totals of 221. Warnock shot a 71 Wednesday to earn a share of the medal.
Washburn’s Matt Johnston - who shot a 3-under-par 68 Wednesday - finished one stroke behind Garnett and Warnock with a 222 and took third-place honors individually.
NKU and Washburn advance to the championship finals May 12-15 at Victoria Hills Country Club in DeLand, Fla. In addition, Garnett also earned a trip to the national finals from the Central Regional as an individual.
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Jonathan Ehlen |