WVU Golf Team Wins Janney VCU Shootout

WVU Golf Team Wins Janney VCU Shootout

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (Sept. 19, 2017) – Scoring a record-low 22 under par with five players in the top 20, the West Virginia University golf team took home the team title at the 2017 Janney VCU Shootout on Tuesday at the Country Club of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia.

It marks the second win for the Mountaineers since resuming varsity competition in 2015. The team won the 2017 East Carolina Intercollegiate in April of 2017.

After posting a record team-low round of 275 on Monday, the Mountaineers finished seven under par in the third round with a 281. WVU’s three-round total of 286-275-281=842 bested the program’s 54-hole team total by seven strokes, while their 22 under par is also a seven-stroke improvement.

“It’s a great way to start the season,” coach Sean Covich said. “We finally have a lot of depth and I think that showed this week. Even our true freshman who played as an individual, Mark Goetz, had a very solid week. I’m extremely proud of all the guys. Max (Sear) fought hard each day after rough starts – that kid has grit. Etienne (Papineau) and Tristan (Nicholls) played great and our other new guys, Matthew (Sharpstene) and Philipp (Matlari) were outstanding. I can’t say enough about my assistant coach, Jay Woodward. He’s made all the guys better and he’s made me a better coach. We’re looking forward to a weekend off, then back at it with some preparation for our only home event of the season, The Health Plan Mountaineer Invitational, at Pete Dye Golf Club.”

Virginia Tech took second at 14 under par (840), while Maryland was third at 13 under (851). Coastal Carolina finished fourth at nine under par with a total of 855.

Sophomore Philipp Matlari led the way in his Mountaineer debut. Matlari used a birdie on No. 9 to finish even par with a 72 on the day for a three-round total of 70-68-72=201. He tied for eighth place at six under par.

Junior Max Sear also finished even par, carding five birdies on his way to a 72. After tying his own program record with a 66 in the second round, Sear finished tied for 10th place with a tally of 73-66-72=211 and five under.

Fellow junior Tristan Nicholls jumped three spots on the final day of action, shooting two under with a 70. Nicholls recorded a 54-hole total of 69-73-70=212 for four under par. Sophomore Etienne Papineau was two strokes back of Nicholls, tying for 19th place. Papineau’s scorecard showed 74-71-69=214 for two under par.

In his collegiate debut, Matthew Sharpstene recorded a top-20 finish with a tie for 19th place. Highlighted by an eagle on No. 4, Sharpstene shot two under with a 70 in the final round. He recorded a total score of 74-70-70=214 for two under par.

Playing as an individual, freshman Mark Goetz tied for 40th in his collegiate debut. Goetz used a trio of birdies to shoot one over with a 73 in the final round, scoring 75-72-73=220 for four over par.

Next up for the WVU golf team is The Health Plan Mountaineer Invitational, which the team will host at Pete Dye Golf Club in Bridgeport, West Virginia, on Oct. 9-10.

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VIA WVU Sports