April 19, 2011

BIG EAST Final Results

PALM HARBOR, Fla. - Villanova made a strong showing at the BIG EAST Championships at the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort with a third place finish among the twelve competing teams. The Wildcats shot a final round 295 (+11) to bring their total to 889 (+37) for the three-round event at the par-71, 7,340 yard course. It ties for the best team finish of the season along with The McLaughlin, the Lincoln Mercury Intercollegiate, and the Wildcat Invitational.

Along with the high team finish came some great individual success. Senior Brendan Kelly (Annapolis, Md.), sophomore Michael Kania (Haverford, Pa.), and senior Conor Casey (Madison, N.J.) all finished in a tie for tenth place at 222 (+9).

Kelly shot a 78-72-72 over the three days including two birdies in his solid final round for his third top-ten finish of the season. Kania shot a 73-73-76 to wrap up a strong performance at the conference tournament for his first top-ten finish of the season to go along with one top-twenty finish. Casey was the final top-ten finisher and he had a 74-71-77 over the three days for his first top-ten finish of the season, which goes along with his four top-twenty place finishes.

Junior Brian Colbert (Cary, Ill.) had the best round for any Wildcat in the final day with a 71 (E) that included four birdies. For the entire BIG EAST Championship, Colbert shot a 76-77-71--224 (+11) to put him in a tie for twentieth place. It was the junior's second top-twenty finish to go along with his team-leading five top-ten finishes.

Lastly, sophomore Steve Skurla (Wheaton, Ill.) had a strong final day with a 76 (+5) that included three birdies in the first five holes. Overall, Skurla carded a 85-79-76--240 (+27) to put him in 56th place.

Notre Dame took home the team title with an 876 (+24) and the Irish's Max Scodro won the individual championship with a 212 (-1).