Minnesota Holds 4-Stroke Lead Over Mids At Navy Spring Golf Invitational

4/6/2002 - Men's Golf
Minnesota Holds 4-Stroke Lead Over Mids At Navy Spring Golf Invitational

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ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The nationally-ranked Minnesota men's golf team (22nd by GolfWeek Magazine) holds a 4-stroke lead over Navy after round one of the 2002 Navy Spring Golf Invitational being played at the par 71 USNA Golf Course in Annapolis. Minnesota produced a 17-over par 301, while the Mids posted a 305 on a chilly spring day where the greens were exceptionally fast. Three teams, however, - Towson, George Washington and Loyola - did not finish the first round due to darkness and will complete round one Sunday.

The tournament's individual leader hails from the first-place team. Minnesota's David Morgan turned in a 1-under par 70, holding a 2-stroke advantage over Iona's Chase Jones.

For the Mids, senior Marty Keogh (Newark, Del.) posted a 3-over par 74 and is in a tie with Georgetown's Nick Cook for fourth place.

"I'm particularly happy for Marty," said Navy head coach Pat Owen. "He's worked extremely hard to improve his game and today he saw that hard work pay off. His father, Mike, is the head coach of the Delaware program and was here to see him play, as was his mother.

"Marty is a great putter and he did a fantastic job with the greens particularly challenging."

Joining Keogh in the top 10 was junior Brian Crum (Fairfax, Va.), who shot a 4-over par 75 and is in a four-way tie for sixth place. A stroke behind Crum is fellow junior Nick Rogers (Lothian, Md.) with a 76, followed by senior captain Drew Craig (Marion, Ohio) with an 80 and sophomore Billy Hurley (Leesburg, Va.) scored an 86.

"Billy Hurley's 86 is a good example of how difficult the greens were today," said Owen.

Hurley claimed the individual title last weekend at the Drew Upton Tiger Classic in Westover, Md., and finished second in the Navy Fall Golf Invitational last September.

Meanwhile, freshman Rocky Novellino (Bayville, N.J.), who is playing on the Navy Gold squad, posted a 75 to finish among the top 10.

The Midshipmen return to action Sunday, teeing off with Minnesota and Iona at 9:26 a.m.

Team Results (w/o Towson, George Washington, Loyola)

1. 301 Minnesota

2. 305 Navy Blue

3. 311 Iona

4. 312 Georgetown

5. 313 Princeton

6. 319 Colgate

7. 320 Lehigh

8. 324 American

9. 327 St. Bonaventure

327 Delaware

11. 328 Villanova

12. 334 Navy Gold

13. 335 St. Joseph's

14. 341 Rider

15. 343 Bucknell

16. 344 Drexel

17. 362 La Salle

18. 389 Anne Arundel CC

Individual Leaders

1. 70 David Morgan, Minnesota

2. 72 Chase Jones, Iona

3. 73 Jesse Smith, Colgate

4. 74 Marty Keogh, Navy Blue

74 Nick Cook, Georgetown

6. 75 Mike Hoffman, Delaware

75 Simon Nash, Minnesota

75 Brian Crum, Navy Blue

75 Rocky Novellino, Navy Gold

G-o N-a-v-y