Littlestown, Pa. / Quail Valley G.C.-Robert Morris University senior men's golfer C.G. Mercatoris (Brookville, Pa. / Brookville) took medalist honors at the Mount St. Mary's Spring Invitational while guiding the Colonials to a third-place finish at the nine-team event. This victory marks the third individual title of the season for Mercatoris whose 212 total is the second-lowest 54-hole score since the event was moved to Quail Valley Golf Course.
Mercatoris opened the tournament by posting the third-lowest round since the event was moved to the 7,027-yard, par-72 layout at Quail Valley Golf Course in Littlestown, Pa. His opening score of 68 was also the second-lowest score of his career and tied for his best round in relation to par, four-under. He followed up the impressive opening salvo by carding a set of even-par rounds of 72 in the second and third stages. He bested Monmouth's Greg Etimos by two strokes to claim the victory.
Monmouth took the team title totaling 896 strokes. Fordham was second at 898 followed by Robert Morris in third (908). Host Mount St. Mary's took fourth at 913 followed by Fairfield (919), St. Peter's (930), Wagner (953), Rider (960) and Maryland-Eastern Shore (1,011).
Sophomore Donny Lewis (Wexford, Pa. / North Allegheny) missed his third top-10 showing of the year by one stroke to finish 11th. He opened with a 74 before following with 77 and 75 to finish with a 226 three-round score.
Sophomore Brock Pompeani (Aliquippa, Pa. / Hopewell) shot his best round of the event Tuesday to finish in a tie for 20th (78-79-77=234). Classmate Brandon Pompeani (Aliquippa, Pa. / Hopewell) improved throughout the event to place 24th with rounds of 82-78-76=236. Senior Shawn Courson (Parker, Pa. / Allegheny-Clarion Valley) found seven strokes Tuesday to finish in a tie for 41st while turning in rounds of 84-86-79=249.
Playing as individuals, junior Ryan Lucas (Aliquippa, Pa. / Hopewell) and junior Robbie Holdcroft (Pennsylvania Furnace, Pa. / State College) were 35th and 44th, respectively. Lucas shot 82-83-78=243 while Holdcroft carded rounds of 80-79-92=251.
