MOC golf finishes sixth at regional

By MOC Sports Information
Published in Sports on May 4, 2006 2:10 PM

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CONCORD -- Mick Moberg hit a 40-foot chip shot for birdie on the final hole of the tournament and Mount Olive placed sixth among Atlantic Region teams at the Atlantic/Southeast Super Regional of the 2006 NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championship. The three-round tournament concluded Wednesday at Rocky River Golf Club in Concord.

Mount Olive carded a team total of 313-309-312--934 to finish seven strokes behind fifth-place Belmont Abbey and seven shots ahead of seventh-place Limestone. Only five shots separated fourth through seventh place heading into the final round.

Moberg finished 13th out of 45 golfers with a 79-74-75--228 on the par-72 course. Moberg hit three birdies on the front nine and made the turn at 2-under par, but ran into trouble on the back nine. After playing out of a light rough beyond the 18th green, Moberg chipped from an uphill slope off the left of the green and the ball rolled downhill into the hole.

"I had a rough time on the back nine today, but it was nice to finish with that birdie," said Moberg, who competed in the individual competition at last year's regional.

Chris Bitzenhofer tied for 18th with a 77-74-79--230, while Jonathan Greene tied for 27th with a 73-77-84--234. Greene began the day tied for eighth, but carded a triple bogey on the first hole.

Josh Harward had his best round of the tournament Wednesday and came within two strokes of a personal best as he finished 38th with an 86-85-77--248. Cameron Phillips placed 39th with an 84-84-81--249.

Coker defeated Pfeiffer on the first hole of sudden death to win the Atlantic Regional. Both teams finished with an 898. Two-time defending national champion USC-Aiken won the Southeast Regional by 37 shots with an 875. Pfeiffer, Barton and Columbus State earned at-large bids to the national finals.

This year's Super Regional marked Mount Olive's first-ever team appearance in the NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championship. The Trojans have no seniors on the squad.

"This was a great experience for the team and for the program," said fourth-year head coach Chip Spiron. "For the players who competed here this week, it'll give them something to build. And for our team members who didn't qualify to play in the regional, it gives them something to shoot for next year."