PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – For the second consecutive year, both the men’s and women’s teams from Bethune-Cookman University claimed titles in a thrilling final round Sunday at the 28th PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship.
Bethune-Cookman won its seventh title in the Division I Men's competition, while in the Women’s Division, Bethune-Cookman claimed its Championship-record 11th title.
This marks the fourth time that the men and women from Bethune-Cookman have won both titles in the same year.
The 54-hole Championship featured nearly 200 players representing more than 40 colleges and universities competing at PGA Golf Club.
The Bethune-Cookman women's team, which was tied with Chicago State University heading into the final round, used a 4-over-par 292 total to win the division by six strokes. Chicago State was looking for its first title in school history. The University of Houston-Victoria finished third.
Bethune-Cookman’s team total improved in each of the three rounds on the Ryder Course. PGA Professional Scooter Clark, the head men’s and women’s coach, was pleased by the play of both teams.
“This Championship is always tight and hard fought, with the Championship really starting on the back nine on Sunday,” said Clark. “The women’s team came together well this weekend and I’m really proud of how both teams performed. It’s incredibly satisfying as a coach.”
Heather Shake of the University of Houston-Victoria shot three consecutive rounds of 74 to win medalist honors in the Women’s Team Division.
In the Division I Men’s competition held on the Wanamaker Course, Bethune-Cookman withstood a final-round charge by Florida A&M University, which entered the round in fourth place, to win the division by eight strokes. Alabama State University finished third, 11 strokes back of Bethune-Cookman.
The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats were led by senior Rafael Abad, who closed with a 1-under-par 71 for a 218 total.
“It was very close at the end, but our team pulled it out,” said Abad. “This is the best year of golf I’ve ever had and it feels great to win as a team.”
Both Bethune-Cookman and Alabama State will be competing in NCAA regionals next week.
Dominick Vennari of Florida A&M University won medalist honors in the Men’s Division I competition, closing with a 69 for a 215 total.
In Division II, Lincoln University from Jefferson City, Missouri, took home its sixth overall title by a single stroke over Texas A&M International University. California State University–Dominguez Hills finished third.
Gary Natal of Texas A&M International University won medalist honors in the division, defeating Steven Mallow of Lincoln University on the first playoff hole.
The Women's Individual Invitational ended in thrilling fashion, with Tiana Jones of South Carolina State University chipping in for birdie on the 54th hole to win by a stroke over 36-hole leader Cheryl Chua, also from South Carolina State.
Kalea Heu of Utah Valley University finished third, five strokes back of Jones. Competing in her final PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship, Jones closed with a 2-under-par 70 and three-day total of 224.
“It was a rough start for me today. I was just trying to make par most of the day,” said Jones. “But I gained a lot of confidence as the round unfolded. It was nice to see all of my hard work and practice paid off in the end. I’m glad I didn’t miss my graduation for nothing.”
In the Men's Individual Invitational, defending champion Robert Grant of Alabama State University rallied from four strokes back in the final round to defeat 2012 Champion Justin Watkins from the University of Central Oklahoma by one stroke.
First-rounder leader Dominique Worthen of LeMoyne-Owen College finished third.
“It’s an incredible honor to win this Championship for a second time,” said Watkins. “It was a battle all day and I feel fortunate to have won.”
In the Men’s NAIA Division, the University of Houston-Victoria won its first team title over Edward Waters College of Jacksonville, Florida.
Steve Jones from the University of Houston-Victoria won medalist honors, closing with a 70 for a 218 total.
The PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship, which originated in November 1986 following the Jackson State University Golf Tournament, has elevated golf in minority colleges and universities by providing opportunities to more players to compete in a national championship.
In 2006, the PGA of America was granted complete ownership and management of the championship by the National Minority Collegiate Golf Scholarship Fund.
Final Scores:
Men’s Team Division I
1. Bethune-Cookman University 884
Rafael Abad 73-74-71--218
Leon Fricker 79-72-73--224
Emmanuel Petrich 78-74-73--225
Matthew McKnight 69-81-76--226
Ryan Fricker 78-77-72--227
2. Florida A&M University 892
Dominick Vennari 77-69-69--215
Kevin Parker 77-73-72--222
Justin Stills 79-75-73--227
Anthony Phipps 77-78-73--228
Cody Sapp 83-83-75--241
3. Alabama State University 895
Francis Berthiaume 77-72-71--220
Branson Ferrier 82-71-73--226
Yann Pfieffer 74-78-79--231
Jose Rodriguez 74-84-74--232
Ian Mmbando 75-77-81--233
4. Savannah State University 903
Travis Roe 73-67-76--216
Brandon Neals 72-79-72--223
Scott Rogers 75-80-73--228
T.J. Podner 85-76-80--241
Caleb Simons 81-82-79--242
5. Chicago State University 929
Dan Patkunas 75-72-75--222
David Keenan 81-76-77--234
Drew Vannoy 81-82-74--237
Miles Bailey 84-80-79--243
Keith Haines 83-88-73--244
6. Texas Southern University 952
Connor Mathers 78-76-78--232
Josiah Brown 81-82-75--238
William Wells 79-80-80--239
Jarett Croff 81-88-77--246
Luis Colon-Gonzales 88-87-78--253
7. University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 960
Nqobani Ernest Ndabambi 73-72-77--222
Jeff Chitando 74-80-78--232
Elliott Rollins, Jr. 85-85-80--250
Matthew Dismuke 84-83-89--256
Joseph Franklin 86-108-104--298
8. North Carolina Central 962
Glendon Mabe 82-76-74--232
Michael Wilson 81-77-81--239
Justin (J.T.) Thomas 88-81-75--244
Garreth Carpenter 83-84-80--247
9. University of Maryland Eastern Shore 976
Michael Veverka 75-76-78--229
Paul Cecil 81-88-79--248
Kuen Park 80-85-85--250
Norman Blanco 84-86-81--251
Christopher Toney 86-97-83--266
10. Hampton University 985
Kenny Gaither 78-80-78--236
T.J. O'Neal 84-86-79--249
Dawson Hobbs 84-84-82--250
Arthur Davis 85-90-83--258
Jevon Bell 95-82-88--265
11. Prairie View University 1064
Jason Hudson 80-86-84--250
Rodolfo Muniz 86-83-86--255
Vlryn Veal 97-94-87--278
Jonathan Dupard 94-98-89--281
Spencer Anderson 113-106-104--323
Women’s Team Division
1. Bethune-Cookman University 908
Patrizia Trevisan 79-71-74--224
Andrea Orozco 81-70-75--226
Marie Bergelin 80-78-71--229
Jennifer Hide 84-76-72--232
Alice Plumb 81-86-86--253
2. Chicago State University 914
Brooke Melvin 76-74-74--224
Jessica Peatross 77-76-75--228
Fernanda Valdes Solis 77-75-78--230
Casey MacNeil 79-82-74--235
Lorelle Weavers 85-83-75--243
3. University of Houston-Victoria 945
Heather Shake 74-74-74--222
Haley Harris 80-80-80--240
Becky Benchot 78-83-79--240
Brooke Brasseaux 86-77-80--243
Caitlin Swisher 87-87-80--254
4. Delaware State University 974
Suchada Anusuriya 82-79-74--235
Mengxuan Gai 80-80-81--241
Brooke Foster 82-83-82--247
Elaine Aisha Peete 87-81-83--251
5. Texas A&M International University 1012
Begona Aranguren 80-78-83--241
Sasha Linauskas 87-84-79--250
Yesenia Ramirez 87-92-86--265
Narda Garcia 101-87-82--270
Abigail Palacios 87-NC
6. Texas Southern University 1017
Adriana Trevino 81-83-83--247
Carmen Gonzales 83-94-80--257
Briana Trevino 85-90-83--258
Jalyn Kuykendall 88-83-88--259
Angela Rafac 98-91-87--276
7. Hampton University 1024
Britney Smith 79-80-78--237
Mikea Granberry 87-81-86--254
Crystal Smitherman 90-84-86--260
Milan James 99-88-86--273
8. Lincoln University 1078
Payton Schooler 79-76-79--234
Sophia Pardalos 81-92-93--266
Mackenzie Wilson 88-97-92--277
Lauren McHenry 104-104-93--301
Men’s Team Division II
1. Lincoln University 893
Steven Mallow 71-75-74--220
Nick Goeke 74-71-77--222
Blake Lammers 76-76-74--226
Austin Wheeler 79-87-81--247
Brian Lillevold 70-74-DQ
2. Texas A&M International University 894
Gary Natal 74-73-73--220
Andres Aranguren 72-77-76--225
Sammie Goldfarb III 80-74-73--227
Juan Ruben Gonzalez 71-74-85--230
Zachary Jackson 77-76-81--234
3. California State University-Dominguez Hills 914
Anibal Kim Yang 73-75-74--222
Brantly Blew 79-77-74--230
Ryan Saldana 76-77-77--230
Shane Kowal 74-81-78--233
Cameron Macdonald 87-80-83--250
4. Virginia State University 921
Matt Genchi 75-77-74--226
Adam Clary 80-78-71--229
Aaron Nelson 77-79-75--231
Austin Ayers 78-78-79--235
Dalton Jolly 86-86-81--253
5. Fayetteville State University 955
Brandon Jobe 78-79-77--234
Christopher Jackson 79-83-74--236
Justin Smith 84-74-81--239
Matthew Hawley 76-82-88--246
6. Johnson C. Smith University 1006
Brencis Stanford 79-82-76--237
Robert Calvin Mason 84-84-77--245
Johanan Edmeade 91-87-81--259
Stephen Graddick, IV 90-84-91--265
Men’s NAIA Division
1. University of Houston-Victoria 894
Steve Jones 75-73-70--218
Vance Edwards 73-75-74--222
William Dawson-Hicks 80-72-73--225
Nick Ver Elst 84-72-78--234
Jake Truss 81-78-76--235
2. Edward Waters College 1052
Christian Mota 84-81-80--245
Alvin Vicioso 83-85-82--250
Spencer Smith 97-91-90--278
Melvin Tyler Johnson 105-89-85--279
Women’s Individual Invitational
1. Tiana Jones, South Carolina State University 79-75-70--224
2. Cheryl Chua, South Carolina State University 72-80-73--225
3. Kalea Heu, Utah Valley University 74-81-74--229
4. Cherie Chua, South Carolina State University 87-74-75--236
T5. Cassandra Lesa, Utah Valley University 76-80-81--237
T5. Hannah Herman, Utah Valley University 81-80-76--237
7. Tali Letoi, Chicago State University 79-79-80--238
8. Mackenzie Johnson, Michigan State University 80-84-77--241
9. Mia Campbell, Alabama State University 81-81-81--243
10. Darleen Raymond, Alabama State University 82-82-82--246
11. Jocelyn Williams, Savannah State University 89-78-85--252
12. Michelle Gifford, Savannah State University 85-85-83--253
13. Vanessa Adarme, Bethune-Cookman University 85-91-79--255
14. Sierra Everson, University of Akron 86-87-84--257
15. Mele Latu, Johnson & Wales University 90-85-86--261
16. Kelly Willis, Benedict College 92-84-97--273
17. Brunelle Coakley, Johnson & Wales University 106-105-104--315
Kassandra Rivera, Texas Southern University 76-DQ
Men’s Individual Invitational
1. Robert Grant, Alabama State University 76-72-74--222
2. Justin Watkins, University of Central Oklahoma 76-69-78--223
3. Dominique Worthen, LeMoyne-Owen College 72-78-79--229
4. William Godfrey, Francis Marion University 78-76-77--231
5. Brandon Lau, Florida Institute of Technology 78-81-74--233
6. Josiah Singletary, Methodist University 85-73-76--234
7. Ben Hunter, Newport News Apprentice School 79-75-82--236
8. Jerrell Hubbard, Paine College 79-79-79--237
9. Corey Price, Alabama State University - 79-87-72--238
10. Lawrence Mckenzie, Livingstone College 76-86-80--242
11. Joseph Morrison, Florida A&M University 82-80-83--245
12. MarkAnthony Curtis, Marymount University 81-84-82--247
T13. Kenny Conrad, Lincoln University 92-77-80--249
T13. Taylor Nelson, Virginia Union University 82-86-81--249
15. Sean Wilson, Chowan University 84-86-80--250
16. James Fernandez, University of Central Oklahoma 86-83-83--252
17. Bruce Cousin, Morehouse College 86-85-82--253
T18. Joseph Killebrew, Alabama State University 85-86-83--254
T18. Michael Ferguson, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 91-79-84--254
T20. Nivel Felicien, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 83-87-85--255
T20. Kijontray McClay, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 81-84-90--255
T20. Anthony Body, Morehouse College 86-82-87--255
23. John Wilborn, University of Nevada, Las Vegas 89-87-82--258
24. Joseph Journey, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 74-90-95--259
25. Rhalston Jones, Benedict College 89-84-90--263
26. Stephen Washington, Livingstone College 90-92-83--265
27. Brandon Bolling, Lewis University 94-88-87--269
T28. Michael Harden, Clemson University 92-94-84--270
T28. Jon Seward, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 94-87-89--270
30. Telvin Walker, Livingstone College 95-88-89--272
31. Zach Armstrong, University of Central Oklahoma 86-101-89--276
32. Brandon Bailey, Virginia Union University 93-99-85--277
33. Sedrick Bailey, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 100-95-91--286
34. Patrick Harris, University of Maryland Eastern Shore 89-100-103--292
35. Eddie Crawford, Methodist University 99-102-100--301
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