Meronk leads Bucs in fall finale

KAUAI, Hawaii (Nov. 6, 2013) – The ETSU men’s golf team wrapped up its fall season by finishing tied for 10th at the Warrior Princeville Makai Invitational on Wednesday from the Makai Golf Club at Princeville.

The Bucs, who posted a team score of 12-under-par 852 (280-284-288), were led by sophomore Adrian Meronk (Wroclaw, Poland). Meronk finish tied for 20th at 5-under 211 (69-72-70), marking the second time this fall season the Polish standout led ETSU in scoring. Meronk registered four of his 14 birdies on Wednesday and played his final eight holes at 2-under-par.

A day after tying his lowest collegiate score with a 69, freshman Mateusz Gradecki (Oborniki Śląskie, Poland) carded a 2-over to finish tied for 33rd at 3-under-par 213 (70-69-74). Gradecki ended strong but couldn’t overcome a bumpy start as he was 5-over thru his first four holes; however, the Buccaneer newcomer birdied three consecutive holes (No. 11, 12, 13) and eventually pulled to 1-over after carding another birdie on the par-4, 17th. Unfortunately, Gradecki bogeyed two of his next four holes before recording a birdie on his second-to-last hole to complete the round.

Meronk and Gradecki couldn’t catch the leaders as there was a three-way tie for the individual title at 15-under-par 201 at the end of the round. Cal State Fullerton’s Mark Anguiano, Louisville’s Robert Geibel, and Mississippi State’s Chad Ramey were all tied for the lead, but Geibel won the playoff on No. 9 to capture the individual crown. Anguiano and Ramey began the day tied for the lead and both golfers fired a 2-under 70, while Geibel moved from third to the top after carding his third straight score of 5-under 67. 

Cal State Fullerton held off Louisville and Mississippi State in team scoring as the Titans won the championship by one stroke over the Cardinals. Fullerton totaled a three-round score of 42-under 822 (272-274-276), marking the Titans’ second straight win as Fullerton was coming off a win at the Bill Cullum Invitational back on Oct. 22.

Junior Rhys Pugh (Pontypridd, Wales) had his stretch of placing in the top-10 in three consecutive tournaments come to an end after tying for 41st at 1-under-par 215 (70-71-74), while sophomore Chris Hickman (Centreville, Md.) was even-par 216 (71-72-73) for the week and tied for 47th.

The 41st-ranked Bucs tied with San Diego in team scoring, while ETSU tied its second lowest tournament score this fall at 852. ETSU’s top score came at the Wolfpack Intercollegiate where the Blue and Gold won the team title at 21-under 843.  

The Blue and Gold now gear up for the spring season which beings Feb. 3-4 at the Sea Best Invitational in Jacksonville.

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