University of Richmond Athletics
Men's Golf Wraps Up Season At NCAA East Regional Championships
05/20/2006 | Men's Golf
May 20, 2006
ORLANDO, Fla. - Junior John Pelet shot a 1-under-par 71 in Saturday's final round as the Richmond men's golf team finished 25th out of 27 teams at the 2006 NCAA East Regional Championship, played at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club.
The Spiders, who were seeded 24th entering the tournament, shot their best round of the three-round tournament Saturday at 15-over-par 303 on the challenging par-72, 7,175-yard Lake Nona Golf Course.
"The course was very difficult, there was a lot of wind out there, and the greens were very fast," Richmond head coach Adam Decker said. "But this doesn't take away from the year we had. I'm happy with how the season turned out. We won two events and advanced a pretty young team to the NCAA Tournament. Now our guys have a taste of what can be accomplished."
Richmond, which had one senior, one junior, two sophomores and a freshmen playing in the tournament, finished at 64-over-par 928 (309-316-303). The Spiders were five strokes behind 24th-place Wichita State and six strokes behind 23rd-place George Washington.
Pelet carded Richmond's best individual round of the tournament, and one of 24 sub-par rounds Saturday out of 140 players. He shot a 2-under 34 on the front nine with three birdies and was one over on the back nine with eight pars. He finished the tournament tied for 79th at 12-over 228 (79-78-71).
Richmond sophomore Jordan Utley finished tied for 95th at 15-over-par 232. Utley shot a 2-over 74 in the first round, a 76 in the second round and an 81 in the final round.
Sophomore Chris Bagley shot a 2-over-par 74 on Saturday, giving him a three-round total of 19-over-par 235 (77-84-74). Bagley tied for 116th. Senior Tyler Randol concluded his collegiate career with a final round 77. He finished the tournament tied for 124th at 22-over-par 238 (79-82-77). Freshman Tim Courtney tied for 132nd at 25-over 241 (79-80-82).
The NCAA East Regional was one of three regionals being held this weekend - along with the Central and West. The top 10 teams in each regional, and the top two individuals not on advancing teams, earn bids to the 2006 NCAA National Championship to be held in Sunriver, Ore., May 31-June 3.
This was Richmond's first NCAA Championship appearance since 2001 and the Spiders fourth in school history. In 1999, Richmond finished eighth at the East Regional to qualify for the school's only NCAA National appearance.
