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University of North Carolina Athletics
Wednesday, February 17
La Quinta, Calif. (PGA West-Norman Course)
All Day
North Carolina
vs
The Prestige Day Three
Men's Golf Co-Champs at The Prestige
February 17, 2021 | Men's Golf
Burnett and Hitt Lead UNC to Title
Ryan Burnett and Austin Hitt combined to shoot 6 under par in the final round to lead the University of North Carolina men's golf team to a share of the team title with No. 4-ranked Arizona at The Prestige, a 24-team event held on the Greg Norman Course at PGA West in La Quinta, Calif.
The Tar Heels defeated No. 2-ranked Arizona State by six shots and Pepperdine, Golfstat's No. 6-ranked team, by one stroke.
UNC entered the final round on Wednesday eight shots behind Pepperdine and five behind ASU and Arizona. The Tar Heels shot 4 under par as a team today, including 3 under over the final three holes to climb into a tie for the lead and the championship.
Hitt birdied the 16th and 18th holes, Burnett also birdied the par-4 18th and Austin Greaser made a birdie 2 on the 17th hole to pull Carolina even. Hitt sank a 25-foot putt for a birdie 3 on the final hole.
UNC then had to wait about an hour as Pepperdine, Arizona State and Arizona finished play. At one point, UNC had the lead to itself, then Pepperdine got to 5 under before falling back and Arizona moved into a tie with the Tar Heels.
The title is Carolina's sixth in four seasons under head coach Andrew DiBitetto and assistant coach Matt Clark. UNC's previous win was at the General Hackler Championship in Myrtle Beach in the final event of the 2019-20 season last March.
"This is a significant win for our program against some of the best teams in the country,' says DiBitetto. "To go toe-to-toe with them and come out with a victory speaks to the hard work our guys put in. It means a lot to all of us. We didn't like where we were in the preseason polls and our guys played with a chip on their shoulders.
"Every single guy contributed in a significant way at one time or another. Our guys were absolutely brilliant in the critical moments. Yesterday, late in the second round, the wind blew extremely hard when we were on very demanding holes and our guys stepped up and delivered. They were mentally tough and they executed. Today the same thing happened coming down the stretch and our guys were brilliant. They were clutch. We talk about being the most mentally tough team. We want to be able to come from behind and we did that today. Golf can beat you down and you don't win a lot. So when you do, it's phenomenal."
Burnett and Hitt tied for fourth place in the individual standings at 3 under par. It was Hitt's fourth and Burnett's eighth top-five finish as Tar Heels. The Tar Heel duo were just one stroke apiece off sharing medalist honors, which went to Texas Tech's Ludvig Aberg, TCU's Jacob Skov Olesen and Arizona's Trevor Werbylo, who each finished at 4-under 209.
Burnett, a second-team All-America a year ago as a sophomore, and Carolina's all-time career stroke average leader, shot 69-74-67 to finish at 210. The Lafayette, Calif., native made six birdies today. He helped UNC get off to a fast start in the final round shooting 4 under through the first five holes. He bogeyed eight and nine, then played the back nine holes in 2 under with birdies on 11 and 18.
Hitt was even at the turn today, then made four birdies and shot 2 under on the back nine. He shot 71-70-69 for 210.
Greaser was 2 over on the front side today, but made a pair of birdies and seven pars on the homeward nine to finish with an even-par 71. He tied for 21st place at 3 over 216.
Peter Fountain finished at 5 over for the tournament and Ryan Gerard was 9 over. Gerard was UNC's fourth scorer today with a 73. Fountain shot 74.
UNC shot 282-286-280 for the tournament to close with a 4 under 848.
"We love our guys," says DiBitetto. "They are here because they are talented, but more importantly, because they work hard, love competition and have a relentless drive to improve. They deserved this win and we are thrilled for them."
The Tar Heels return to action March 1-2 in the Wake Forest Invitational at No. 2, which will be played at historic Pinehurst No. 2.
The Tar Heels defeated No. 2-ranked Arizona State by six shots and Pepperdine, Golfstat's No. 6-ranked team, by one stroke.
UNC entered the final round on Wednesday eight shots behind Pepperdine and five behind ASU and Arizona. The Tar Heels shot 4 under par as a team today, including 3 under over the final three holes to climb into a tie for the lead and the championship.
Hitt birdied the 16th and 18th holes, Burnett also birdied the par-4 18th and Austin Greaser made a birdie 2 on the 17th hole to pull Carolina even. Hitt sank a 25-foot putt for a birdie 3 on the final hole.
UNC then had to wait about an hour as Pepperdine, Arizona State and Arizona finished play. At one point, UNC had the lead to itself, then Pepperdine got to 5 under before falling back and Arizona moved into a tie with the Tar Heels.
The title is Carolina's sixth in four seasons under head coach Andrew DiBitetto and assistant coach Matt Clark. UNC's previous win was at the General Hackler Championship in Myrtle Beach in the final event of the 2019-20 season last March.
"This is a significant win for our program against some of the best teams in the country,' says DiBitetto. "To go toe-to-toe with them and come out with a victory speaks to the hard work our guys put in. It means a lot to all of us. We didn't like where we were in the preseason polls and our guys played with a chip on their shoulders.
"Every single guy contributed in a significant way at one time or another. Our guys were absolutely brilliant in the critical moments. Yesterday, late in the second round, the wind blew extremely hard when we were on very demanding holes and our guys stepped up and delivered. They were mentally tough and they executed. Today the same thing happened coming down the stretch and our guys were brilliant. They were clutch. We talk about being the most mentally tough team. We want to be able to come from behind and we did that today. Golf can beat you down and you don't win a lot. So when you do, it's phenomenal."
Burnett and Hitt tied for fourth place in the individual standings at 3 under par. It was Hitt's fourth and Burnett's eighth top-five finish as Tar Heels. The Tar Heel duo were just one stroke apiece off sharing medalist honors, which went to Texas Tech's Ludvig Aberg, TCU's Jacob Skov Olesen and Arizona's Trevor Werbylo, who each finished at 4-under 209.
Burnett, a second-team All-America a year ago as a sophomore, and Carolina's all-time career stroke average leader, shot 69-74-67 to finish at 210. The Lafayette, Calif., native made six birdies today. He helped UNC get off to a fast start in the final round shooting 4 under through the first five holes. He bogeyed eight and nine, then played the back nine holes in 2 under with birdies on 11 and 18.
Hitt was even at the turn today, then made four birdies and shot 2 under on the back nine. He shot 71-70-69 for 210.
Greaser was 2 over on the front side today, but made a pair of birdies and seven pars on the homeward nine to finish with an even-par 71. He tied for 21st place at 3 over 216.
Peter Fountain finished at 5 over for the tournament and Ryan Gerard was 9 over. Gerard was UNC's fourth scorer today with a 73. Fountain shot 74.
UNC shot 282-286-280 for the tournament to close with a 4 under 848.
"We love our guys," says DiBitetto. "They are here because they are talented, but more importantly, because they work hard, love competition and have a relentless drive to improve. They deserved this win and we are thrilled for them."
The Tar Heels return to action March 1-2 in the Wake Forest Invitational at No. 2, which will be played at historic Pinehurst No. 2.
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