Rams head to UNC Greensboro Bridgestone Collegiate

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The Virginia Commonwealth University Golf Team will compete in its final tournament of the fall season Oct. 23-24 at the UNCG Bridgestone Collegiate.

The Rams will take on a highly-competitive 14-team field at the Forest Oaks Country Club, a nearly 7,200-yard, par 72 course. The prestigious course served as a PGA Tour stop for more than 30 years.

Carved from North Carolina hardwoods by noted architect Ellis Maples, Forest Oaks opened in 1962 to wide acclaim. It was already known as one of the best tests of golf in a state known for great golf tests when it became the home course of the venerable Greater Greensboro Open in 1977.

As the golf course matured, alterations to the course were necessary. In 2002, the job of restoring the course to all its glory was assigned to Davis Love III's Love Design Group. The course now features Tift Sport Bermuda grass to handle extremes of summer heat and winter wetness better than it had before. The greens are now a mix of A4 and A1 bentgrass to offer a faster and truer surface than the old Penn Links bentgrass. At its absolute longest length, the course can play to more than 7,400 yards.

This weekend's tournament features a wealth of ranked players and teams. Seven individuals are in the top 75 according to Golfweek's Sagarin ratings, while Golfstat puts four in the top 75. Both ratings put five teams in the top 50.

Participating Teams
Auburn
UNC Charlotte
Kentucky
Michigan
Michigan State
Minnesota
Mississippi St.
North Carolina
Northwestern
Pepperdine
Toledo
UNC Greensboro
VCU
Virginia Tech

 

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BALL LIFTS VCU TO NINTH AT BRIDGESTONE COLLEGIATE

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Freshman Matt Ball Jr. (Richmond, Va.) fired a final-round 70 and placed 14th to lift Virginia Commonwealth University at the UNC Greensboro Bridgestone Collegiate at the Forest Oaks Country Club.

VCU tied for ninth place with Mississippi State with a three-round total of 871, 7-over par. North Carolina captured the team title at 31-under, followed by Auburn (-24), Virginia Tech (-22), Michigan (-21) and Northwestern (-11) respectively.

Ball totaled 212 (72-70-70) shots during the 54-hole tournament. He finished 4-under on the 7,197-yard, par 72 course, 10 strokes off the pace of individual co-champs Blayne Barber of Auburn and David Lipsky of Northwestern.

Freshman Rocky Khara (Sebring, Fla.) placed 43rd a 3-over (74-72-73=219), while senior Mark Jargren (Helsingborg, Va.) was 51st at 5-over (72-74-75=221) for the Rams.

VCU has completed its fall season. The Rams will return to action Feb. 27-28 when they head to the Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington, N.C. for the Seahawk Collegiate.

UNCG BRIDGESTONE COLLEGIATE
Forest Oaks Country Club (Greensboro, N.C.), Par 72, 7,197 yards
TEAM STANDINGS
1- North Carolina (-31)
2-Auburn (-24)
3-Virginia Tech (-22)
4-Michigan (-21)
5-Northwestern (-11)
6-UNC Charlotte (-1)
7-Toledo (+1)
8-Pepperdine (+3)
T9-VCU (+7)
T9-Mississippi State (+7)
11-UNCG (+9)
12-Kentucky (+13)
13-Minnesota (+15)
14-Michigan State (+25)

T9-VCU (287-291-293=871)
14-Matt Ball, Jr. (72-70-70=212)
T43-Rocky Khara (74-72-73=219)
T51-Mark Jargren (72-74-75=221)
57-Chase Sargent (69-77-76=222)
T62-Matt Smith (74-75-75=224)