(Pasadena, CA) On a day when par was at a premium, the Park University Gilbert golf team struggled but held on to win the Sea Beggar Invitational hosted by Providence Christian College by seven strokes. The Bucs shot a final round 316 (+28) to finish with a total score of 607 (+31) and finished ahead of Hope International who shot a final round 311 (+23) to finish at 614 (+38).
The Buccaneers entered the final round with a 12-shot lead and would need that cushion as the front nine at Angeles National Gold Club in Sunland, Calif., was fast and firm with tucked pins which made things rough for all teams and the Bucs were not immune. They shot 17-over as a team on the front side which gave some of their opposition some hope but their closest competitors also shot in the double digits on the front side with no one getting closer than five strokes of the Buccos.
The Bucs settled down early on the back nine and pushed the lead back to as many as 11 before adding some gray hairs to head coach Justin Searles as the lead dropped to as little as three strokes before they came home with a seven-stroke victory. Just to qualify how difficult conditions were, every team in the tournament shot +20 or more in the final round. Arizona Christian shot the best round of the day at 21-over par (309). Only one player shot under par on the day.
Both Senior Eli Cruzan and sophomore Jax Sisson were in first place at various times during the round and Sisson had a one strike lead heading into 16. But double bogeys on 16 and 17 took him out of the running. Undaunted, with the team lead at three strokes, Sisson and Riley Wortman birdied 18 to help salt the team tournament away for the Buccaneers.
Sisson finished in third place as the Bucs low scorer carding a five-over 149 score for the two round tournament. Eli Cruzan, who led after the first round finished in a tie for fourth place after carding a final round 80 to finish at 150. Wortman, another sophomore made it three Bucs in the top 10 with a seventh-place finish. Cole Taylor, the third sophomore on this team finished in 14th place.
The Bucs return to the links on March 10 when they travel to Lubbock, Texas to participate in the Wayland Baptist Invitational.
Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Preston English
Click on Logo
