WHISPERING PINES, N.C. -- With a pair of top-20 performances and four players finishing in the top 30, the Christopher Newport men's golf team continued their spring schedule with an outstanding effort at the Hampden-Sydney Invitational. The Captains finished first among seven 'A' teams and second in a field of 16 total programs with a 31-over par 607 (300-307).
Nick Alexander rounded out an excellent 36-hole performance by finishing third with a three-over par 147 (72-75). He tied
Brian O'Dea for the second round low score for the Captains with a 75 and closed out his round with seven straight pars. He birdied the 540-yard par five 11th hole and finished the second round with 13 total pars.
O'Dea came out on fire, starting on the second hole and posting a one-under start through six holes. He birdied the 544-yard par five fifth and added another bird on the 11th. With the three-over 75 on day two, O"Dea moved up to 18th for his second top-20 effort of the season. He finished out the event with four birdies and 22 pars to record a 152 (77-75).
Owen Cook (+10) and
J.P. Carr (+10) each finished tied for 28th in the 92-player field at the Whispering Pines track played over 6,409 yards. On day two, Cook edged Carr by a single stroke and finished with a 78. For two days, Cook had a 154 (76-78) while Carr matched him with a 154 (75-79). Carr also had a birdie on the 5th hole while Cook recorded a team-high three in the round and six overall in the tournament. He was under par on back-to-back holes on the front with a four on the 460-yard par five 7th and the 152-yard par three 8th while also scoring a birdie on the 381-yard par 4 17th.
Rounding out the individual efforts was
Michael Thomas (+14) with a 158 (77-81). The senior was hindered by back-to-back tough holes to start the back nine but had an otherwise sterling round with two birdies and 10 pars. He had birdies on 7 and 16.
Christopher Newport edged out Randolph-Macon's top five by four strokes and trailed Carnegie Mellon's 'B' team by just three strokes on the team leaderboard.
The Captains will return to action from March 21-23 at the Jekyll Island Intercollegiate for a 54-hole tournament in Georgia.
