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University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Remain Atop Leaderboard, Take Home Schenkel E-Z-Go Crown
March 19, 2006 | Men's Golf
March 19, 2006
STATESBORO, Ga.--With five of the country's top teams chasing them, the University of North Carolina men's golf team refused to give up any ground Sunday to win the Schenkel E-Z-Go Invitational at Forest Heights Country Club. Carolina, which entered the final round as the leader at seven-under, shot an even par 288 to claim a two-stroke victory over runner-up Florida. Kentucky, who was the Heels' closest competitor after Saturday, dropped to third while Auburn and Alabama closed out the top five. For the Tar Heels the victory was the first win of this season and the first since capturing the Franklin Street Partners Invitational in the fall of 2004.
Freshman Robert Riesen again led the Tar Heels with a four-under 68 on the tournament's final day. Riesen, a native of Pinehurst, N.C., was one of only two golfers in the tournament to shoot under-par in all three rounds. Unfortunately for Riesen, the other man to shoot under-par all weekend was Michigan State's Matt Harmon who won the tournament at nine-under, two strokes ahead of Riesen. Riesen started off the day with two birdies on the front nine before bogeying the 10th and then finishing with three birdies in his final eight holes. For the tournament he bogeyed just three holes while notching 10 birdies. Sunday's 68 matched his best round as a Tar Heel.
Joining Riesen in the top ten were fellow Tar Heels junior Martin Ureta and senior Ted Smith. Ureta, like the team, shot an even-par 72 on the final day to finish in a tie for sixth at three-under for the tournament. It was Ureta's tenth top-ten finish of his career. Smith shot a one-under 71 to close out the tournament in ninth place at one-under. The Westlake, Ohio native had a strong finish after an opening round 76 to start the tournament. Senior Jonathan Jackson had tougher day Sunday with a five-over 77, but still finished in the top twenty.
Carolina tees off again March 26-28 in the Hootie at Bulls Bay Invitational in Awendaw, S.C.
| TEAM STANDINGS (54 Holes) | ||
| 1. North Carolina | 291-278-288--857 | -7 |
| 2. Florida | 294-284-281--859 | -5 |
| 3. Kentucky | 285-288-292--865 | +1 |
| 4. Auburn | 285-291-295--871 | +7 |
| 5. Alabama | 298-285-292--875 | +11 |
| 6. Minnesota | 295-290-291--876 | +12 |
| North Carolina State | 295-284-297--876 | +12 |
| Michigan State | 295-285-296--876 | +12 |
| 9. Tennessee | 297-279-301--877 | +13 |
| 10. Augusta State | 300-293-287--880 | +16 |
| 11. South Carolina | 300-283-300--883 | +19 |
| 12. Louisiana State | 294-293-300--887 | +23 |
| 13. Ohio State | 302-285-303--890 | +26 |
| Georgia Southern | 299-288-303--890 | +26 |
| 15. Toledo | 306-298-311--915 | +51 |
| TOP INDIVIDUALS (36 Holes) | ||
| 1. Matt Harmon (Michigan St.) | 68-69-70--207 | -9 |
| 2. Robert Riesen (North Carolina) | 70-71-68--209 | -7 |
| 3. Brad Doster (Kentucky) | 69-70-72--211 | -5 |
| Stephen Lewton (NC State) | 71-68-72--211 | -5 |
| Major Manning (Augusta St.) | 73-70-68--211 | -5 |
| Carolina's Individuals (36 Holes) | ||
| 2. Robert Riesen | 70-71-68--209 | -7 |
| T6. Martin Ureta | 72-69-72--213 | -3 |
| 9. Ted Smith | 76-68-71--215 | -1 |
| T25. Jonathan Jackson | 73-70-77--220 | +4 |
| 71. Barden Berry | 77-76-80--233 | +17 |
Players Mentioned
