W&J Golf Finishes Fourth In Ireland; Lestini Cards Round Of 75
WATERVILLE, Ireland -- Freshman Evan Lestini’s (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette) {pictured below} three-over par 75 highlighted the final round for Washington & Jefferson College at the inaugural Waterville Collegiate Classic at the Waterville Golf Links in Ireland.
(Watch a video on Waterville with some W&J players shown during tournament)
W&J, the only Division III competing in the international tournament, posted a team score of 318 on Tuesday to total 652 strokes (334-318).
Davidson College won the tournament with 618 strokes (312-306), while the University of Richmond was second with 626 (317-309). Rutgers University was tied with W&J following the opening round Monday, but posted the low round of the day Tuesday with 297 strokes to amasses 631 shots (334-297).
Lestini’s round of 75 tied Davidson’s John Skeadas for the fourth-lowest round of the tournament which featured 28 players. Skeadas earned medalist honors following back-to-back rounds of 75. Jonathan Renza of Rutgers posted the low round of the tournament Tuesday with a one-under par score of 71.
Lestini tied for 12th place in the 28-player field with a 36-hole total of 161 strokes (85-71). He tied for sixth in the field with four birdies.
Sophomore Matt Long (East Stroudsburg, Pa./Notre Dame) tied for 14th place with 162 strokes (78-84), while junior Colin Izzo (Longmeadow, Mass./Longmeadow) tied for 23rd place with 167 shots (90-77). Izzo carded 18 pars during the tournament which ranked 13th.
Sophomore Ryan Mazza (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) placed 25th with 168 strokes 86-82) and classmate Tim Novic (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper St. Clair) was 26th with 169 (84-85).
The international tournament wrapped up W&J’s fall season. The Presidents made the international journey as part of the educational experience for the five team members and Head Coach Sean Dove offered at Washington & Jefferson College. The NCAA allows teams to engage in a foreign tour once every three years.
Numerous professional tournaments have been played at Waterville Golf Links, and over 40 of the world’s greatest champions from Sam Snead to Nick Faldo have experienced the Links.
Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Mark O’Meara, Payne Stewart and Tiger Woods played the Waterville links to prepare for the 1998 British Open which was won by O’Meara. Prior to the 1999 Open Championship, O’Meara, Stewart and Woods were joined by Stuart Appleby, David Duval and Lee Janzen, all of which became members of Waterville. Later that year at a ceremony during the now famous Ryder Cup in Brookline Massachusetts, United States team member Payne Stewart accepted the Captaincy of Waterville – the last golf honour he would receive before his tragic death. Today a life-sized bronze statue pays tribute to his Captaincy and his special relationship with Waterville.
