FSU runs away with Chitengwa, but UVA a strong runner-up; James shares medalist honors

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Florida State’s golf team was in such a hurry to catch a plane back to Tallahassee that it left behind all its hardware from capturing the second annual Lewis Chitengwa Memorial tournament at Birdwood Golf Course. After posting a staggering 41-under-par team score over the 54-hole event, the Seminoles could have just floated back to the Sunshine State on Tuesday.

Virginia coach Bowen Sargent said he’ll hand-deliver the trophies to the No. 7 ranked ‘Noles when the two teams meet again at the ACC Championships (April 21-24) in Pinehurst, N.C.

Sargent’s Cavaliers had reason to celebrate as well, as No. 21-ranked UVA finished runner-up with an impressive 27-under 825, capped by a 9-under 275 final round. No. 40 Arkansas finished third at 24-under 828 (see complete team and individual scores below).

Virginia’s freshman phenom Ben James turned in a final-round, 6-under 65 (11-under 202 for the tournament), to tie FSU’s Cole Anderson for the event’s medalist honors. James actually had a chance to win the tournament, but his four-foot putt lipped out on the 18th hole, his lone bogey of the day.

It was James’ fourth individual tournament win of the season in 10 outings, and eight top-four finishes in his first year of collegiate competition.

It was the fifth time this season that Virginia posted a top-three tournament finish.

“If you had told me at the start of the week 28-under, I thought that would have won,” Sargent said afterward. “We won [the Chitengwa] last season at 15-under (a one-shot victory over Tennessee). Florida State was incredible — 41-under is unheard of. That shows why they’re one of the best teams in the nation.”

Sargent said he hopes his team gets another shot at the Seminoles in the ACC’s.

Pietro Bovari, who played in his last regular-season event as a Cavalier (he plans to turn pro after this postseason), put up a top-10 finish in individual play, a 7-under 206, good for sixth place, his fourth top-10 finish of the season, helped by a closing round of 1-under 70.

George Duangmanee and Chris Fosdick tied for 22nd place at 1-under 212, Duangmanee finishing with a 1-under 70, and Fosdick closing with a 75. Grad student Jack Montague posted a 2-over 215 for the Cavaliers, including a final round of 70.

Virginia’s B-team finished eighth in the 15-team field, including ahead of state rival Virginia Tech with a 3-over par 855. Deven Patel led the B-squad with a 6-under 207 for an 11th-place individual showing. Jaron Leasure tied Duangmanee and Fosdick for 22nd place at 212, while Grayson Wotnosky was 42nd at 216 and Benny Haggin was 52nd at 220, ahead of Matthew Monasrero at 235 for 75th.

“Our guys fought and scrapped all day, so I was proud of them for running through the finish line,” Sargent said. “Really all spring we’ve played okay, other than one tournament when we had one kid injured. Third place is our worst finish this spring, except for that one tournament.

“There’s some things we can clean up as we head into the ACCs and we can get better. We’ll work really hard in the next 10 days to get ready.”

Lewis Chitengwa Memorial
Birdwood Golf Course
Charlottesville, Va.
Par 71, 7,116 yards
Final Results

Team Results
1. Florida State — 264-274-273-811
2. Virginia — 272-278-275-825
3. Arkansas — 270-285-273-828
4. Auburn — 280-274-284-838
4. Northwestern — 278-283-277-838
6. Jacksonville — 278-282-285-845
7. Kentucky — 287-278-286-851
8. Virginia-B — 279-288-288-855
9. Virginia Tech — 278-290-289-857
10. St. Mary’s (CA) — 282-295-286-863
11. Loyola (MD) — 288-287-289-864
12. UNCW — 289-288-299-876
13. Texas State — 288-299-290-877
14. Kennesaw State — 296-294-290-880
15. East Carolina — 295-295-291-881

Individual Leaders
1. Ben James, Virginia — 66-71-65-202
1. Cole Anderson, Florida State — 68-67-67-202
3. David Nyfjall, Northwestern — 66-68-70-204
3. Luke Clanton, Florida State — 66-68-70-204 

Virginia Results
1. Ben James — 66-71-65-202
6. Pietro Bovari — 64-72-70-206
22. George Duangmanee — 73-74-70-212
22. Chris Fosdick — 71-66-75-212
38. Jack Montague — 71-74-70-215 

Virginia B-Team Results
11. Deven Patel — 70-68-69-207
22. Jaron Leasure — 68-71-73-212
42. Grayson Wotnosky — 70-74-72-216
52. Benny Haggin — 71-75-74-220
75. Matthew Monastero — 72-82-81-235