Alabama
Puerto Rico Classic
Alabama Golfers Finish Eighth at Puerto Rico Classic
3/1/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
March 1, 2009
RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico - The Alabama men's golf team turned in its best round of the tournament with a 2-under-par 286 in the final round of the Puerto Rico Classic on Sunday at the par-72, 6,902-yard River Course at the Rio Mar Golf Club to finish eighth.
The fourth-ranked Crimson Tide shot a 1-over-par 865 over the 54-hole tournament. No. 2 Georgia claimed the team title, shooting 38-under-par 826 to pull away from the field. Clemson finished second at 26-under par with Oklahoma State third at 16-under 848. Texas (853) and Georgia Tech (855) rounded out the top five.
Tide redshirt freshman Hunter Hamrick fired a 1-under-par 71 in the final round to finish 16th at 4-under 212 for the tournament. He has now shot six consecutive rounds of even-par golf or better dating back to his second-place finish at the John Hayt Collegiate Invitational.
Texas' Dylan Fritelli, who owned a six-shot lead entering the final round was caught by Georgia's Hudson Swafford as the two tied for first at 12-under-par 204. Swafford used a 5-under-par 67 in the final round to tie Fritelli, who shot a 1-over-par 73.
True freshman Bud Cauley fired the Tide's lowest round of tournament with an impressive 67 (-5) on Sunday. His strong finish moved him up 14 places in the standing into a tie for 17th place at 3-under-par 213. It was the fifth career round in the 60s for the Jacksonville, Fla., native.
Another freshman, redshirt Spencer Cole, turned in a strong round on Sunday with an even-par 72. He finished at a career-best 3-over-par 219 in a tie for 35th position.
Seniors Matt Hughes and Matthew Swan shot rounds of 77 and 76, respectively on Sunday. Hughes finished in a tie for 54th at 8-over-par 224 while Swan was 10-over 226 and tied for 59th.
The Crimson Tide will next tee it up at the Callaway Golf Collegiate Match Play Championships at The Farms Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., on March 22-24.
