Meronk paces Bucs for second straight week

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Sept. 29, 2014) – The ETSU men’s golf team was unable to make it back-to-back wins as the Bucs finished fifth at the Jack Nicklaus Invitational on Monday from the Ohio State University Golf Club – Scarlet Course.

Coming off its win in the season-opener last week at the Inverness Intercollegiate, ETSU couldn’t make a move in the final round in Columbus as the Bucs shot a 9-over-par 293, and finished with a three-round score of 23-over-par 875 (294-299-293).

Junior Adrian Meronk (Wroclaw, Poland) led the Blue and Gold for the second straight week as the Buccaneer tied for sixth at 2-over-par 215 (68-74-73). Meronk parred his first nine holes on Monday, but carded a double-bogey on the par-4, No. 11, before moving back to par following consecutive birdies on No. 12 and 13. However, Meronk was unable to build momentum after that as he bogeyed two of his last five holes, resulting in his 73. Overall, Meronk was one of three golfers to post an eagle in the tournament, as he carded a three on the par-5, No. 4 in Sunday’s opening round.

Ohio State led wire-to-wire and claimed its first-ever title in the five-year running of the tournament. The 28th-ranked Buckeyes entered the day with a six-shot lead over Purdue and an eight-stroke advantage over ETSU, and ended the tournament with a 12-shot win over the 45th-ranked Boilermakers. Ohio State finished at 7-over-par 859 (283-291-285).

Kansas State’s Matt Green held on to win the individual title as he outlasted Kent State’s Chase Johnson by two strokes. Green ended the 54-hole tournament at 3-under-par 210 (67-73-70).

Senior Rhys Pugh (Pontypridd, Wales) joined Meronk in the top-15 as the Buccaneer veteran tied for 14th at 5-over-par 218 (75-70-73). Meanwhile, sophomore Mateusz Gradecki (Oborniki Śląskie, Poland) shot a 4-over 75 on Monday and tied for 22nd at 8-over 221 (75-71-75). Junior Gudmundur Kristjansson (Reykjavik, Iceland) – who totaled four of his nine birdies in the final round – tied for 28th at 9-over-par 222  (77-73-72).

The Bucs are back in action next week as ETSU looks to defend its title at the Wolfpack Intercollegiate, which begins Monday, Oct. 6, in Raleigh, N.C.

ETSU fans wanting to receive Buccaneer news, score updates, in-game promotions and much more sent to their mobile device can do so by signing up for “Buc Updates.” Click here to sign up today!

For more information on Buccaneer men’s golf, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the men’s golf page.