Owls Finish Tied for 7th at A-Sun Championship

Ben Greene's 71 leads Owls to low team round of tournament on Wednesday

4/21/2010 6:21:27 PM

By: by Scott Lipsky

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BRASELTON, Ga. – Freshman Ben Greene went on a late-rally on Wednesday afternoon, posting four birdies in his last six holes to shoot a final round of 1-under 71 to lead Kennesaw State on the final day of the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship at the Legends Course at Chateau Elan in Braselton, Ga. The Owls finished in a tie for seventh overall with a score of +35 899, while Greene notched a tie for ninth individually at 3-over par 219.

Collectively, the Owls had their lowest round of the tournament on Wednesday, shooting a 7-over 295 following first and second rounds of 301 and 303, respectively. Greene’s round matched Jeff Karlsson’s first round performance of 71 for the lowest 18-hole score by an Owl during the tournament.

Having hit the ball well all day, Greene had a chance to get off to a fast start to his round, but missed makeable birdie putts on holes 10 and 11 (the Owls began the round on the back nine) before bogeying 12.

He made the turn at 2-over 38, and after making par on hole number 1, he made the first of what would be a total of five birdies on his final nine holes of the championship. Perhaps most impressive was his birdie two on the par-3 seventh, hitting his tee shot to 25 feet before draining the putt, prompting loud applause from the gallery.

Senior JP Putnam, playing his final round of collegiate golf on Wednesday, left with good memories, making three birdies and three bogeys on his way to an even par 72. He was followed closely on Wednesday by sophomore Jeff Karlsson, who fired a 2-over par 74 to finish the tournament in a tie for 22nd place, joining Greene as the two Owls to earn top-25 finishes.

The conditions on Wednesday were a polar opposite of Tuesday, when rainy conditions complicated things out on the course and caused slightly higher scores. The sun was out on Wednesday, and with perfect conditions, the average score for the field was a week-low 74.73, comparing 76.15 and 75.05 on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.

Wednesday also saw four rounds in the 60’s, compared to just three over the first two day of competition. Florida Gulf Coast’s Brandon Pena had the lowest round of the tournament on Wednesday, making six birdies and an eagle on his way to a 7-under par 65.

Kennesaw State would finish tied for seventh with Stetson, 40 shots behind 2010 A-Sun champion East Tennessee State, who fired a total score of 5-under par 859 to edge out Florida Gulf Coast by four strokes. ETSU’s Seamus Power would take the individual title, firing rounds of 69-74-67 to win the event with a score of 6-under 210.

The finish for head coach Jay Moseley’s squad was an improvement over 2009’s eighth place performance. Their best finish in their four years of competition at the event is third in 2008.

Photo Courtesy of Todd Drexler/A-Sun Photos

A-Sun Championship- Final Round Coverage

Ben Greene makes a long putt during the final round	Head Coach Jay Moseley discusses the final round

Jeff Karlsson's tee shot on the second hole