Vols Notch Season-Best Second-Place Finish

March 22, 2016 | Men's Golf

Kingsmill Results | Kingsmill Player Results

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. -- Tennessee finished a season-best second place after shooting a final round 1-over at the Kingsmill Intercollegiate Tuesday.

Team Scores (Top Four)

1. Penn State: 287-282-276--845 (+5)
2. Tennessee: 284-285-281--850 (+10)
3. TCU: 295-280-280--855 (+15)
4. Drake 292-291-285--868 (+28)

Individual Scores

1. Paul Barjon (TCU): 71-66-66--203 (-7)
T2. Chad Merzbacher (Tennessee): 69-70-66--205 (-5)
T2. Charles Huntzinger (Penn State): 67-64-74--205 (-5)

Tennessee Scores

T2. Chad Merzbacher: 69-70-66--205 (-5)
T7. Mike Nagy: 73-69-71--213 (+3)
T15. Lorenzo Scalise: 69-75-72--216 (+6)
T21. Nicklas Mattner: 73-72-73--218 (+8)
T45. Jack Smith: 77-74-72--223 (+13)

With a 10-over for the tournament, the Vols battled three days of frigid conditions to earn their best finish since the Jackrabbit Invitational March 16-17, 2015.

Tennessee's second-place finish adds to its growing list of top-five finishes this season and continues the three-tournament streak of placing in the top five.

"We are feeling more confident every single tournament," senior Chad Merzbacher said. "This week proved how tough we are. The conditions were tough, and that course wasn't necessarily easy. Everyone battled hard. I love the way the guys are starting to compete."

Merzbacher has been leading the Volunteer charge all season and stepped up his play this spring. The veteran finished in a tie for second after shooting an overall 5-under. Merzbacher shot a final round 4-under 66, marking the third time in his last four rounds of competition that he has carded a round in the 60s.

The Dublin, Ohio, native has placed in the top 10 in three consecutive tournaments and his finish at the Kingsmill Intercollegiate is the best finish since his freshman season.

Senior Michael Nagy also notched a spot in the top 10, finishing in a tie for seventh place after carding a 3-over for the tournament. Nagy posted a 1-over 71 in the final round and birdied 12 over the three-day event. His tie for seventh ranks as his best finish donning the Orange and White.

Consistency has been the theme for sophomore Lorenzo Scalise, who placed in the top 25 for the fifth instance in the 2015-16 season. He finished in a tie for 15th after shooting 6-over at the Kingsmill.

Two-time SEC Freshman of the Week Nicklas Mattner shot a final round 73 and 8-over for the tournament, placing in a tie for 21st. With the finish, the German has recorded back-to-back top-25 finishes.

Junior Jack Smith posted his best round of the tournament with a final round 72. He completed the Kingsmill at 13-over, finishing in a tie for 45th.

After a three-day battle with the Vols, No. 26 Penn State took the team title with a 5-over 845. TCU's Paul Barjon claimed the individual crown after back-to-back rounds of 66.

In the Clubhouse

With his second-place finish, Chad Merzbacher now has five top-10 finishes in the 2015-16 season, surpassing his previous single season top-10 finish record.
Tennessee has finishes fourth, third and second in its last three tournaments, marking its best three-game stretch since the 2012-13 season.
Michael Nagy's best tournament performance as a Vol led to his fifth top-10 finish in his collegiate career.