Thompson Adds Individual Medal to Golfer of the Year Honor

CONOVER, N.C. --- Guilford College lived up to its nationally 12th-ranked billing at the ODAC Men's Golf Championships, posting team rounds of 293 and 288 to finish at five-over-par 581 and capture its fifth straight and 15th overall conference title by 14 strokes over Washington and Lee University.  Quakers registered the top-three individual finishes, with Drew Thompson earning medalist honors.

Weather forced the players hands the first two days, completely washing out day one which resulted in a shortening of the tournament to 36 holes.  The first round on Monday was suspended nearly midway thru as conditions again turned unfavorable, which necessitated the players returning to the Jones Course at Rock Barn Golf & Spa at 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday to finish their opening rounds before playing their final 18 holes.

Thompson led a first-second-third sweep for the Quakers, firing a pair of 71's to finish at two-under 142, the only player under par for the tournament.  After a fairly calm first round that included four birdies and three bogeys, Thompson's second round scorecard included plenty of color.  He posted only three pars on his opening nine, a group that included three birdies offset by two bogeys and a double at the par-5 fourth.  After a bogey on 10, he rebounded with three birdies in his final eight holes, including the par-5 18th.

Harrison Frye (72-72--144) and Ty Palmer (75-69--144), who at one point was five-under during his second round, came in at even-par.  His three-under 69 was the low-round of the championship.  Tanner Gross posted rounds of 75 and 76 (151) to tie for ninth, while Henry Smith (75-82--157) completed GC's contingent by tying for 26th.

Washington and Lee finished as the runner-up for the second straight season.  The Generals, rated 28th in the country by Golfstat, carded rounds of 297 and 298 to finish 14 strokes (595) behind Guilford.  Luke Farley (74-72) and Conley Hurst (72-74) tied for fourth at two-over 146.

The largest jump from round one-to-two came from Randolph-Macon.  The Yellow Jackets improved 24 strokes from a 314 in round one to 290 over the final 18 holes, the second-best team round of the tournament.  The leap resulted a move from sixth to third in the team standings.  Kyle Fuller led R-MC in sixth place at three-over 147 (74-73), while Matt McDonagh (76-72--148) finished seventh.

Selections for the NCAA Division III National Championship are slated for the evening of Monday, May 4.  Guilford earns an automatic bid into the field that will compete at Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C.  Guilford and the Greensboro Sports Commission serve as co-hosts for the event for the second straight year.  Go to www.ncaa.com that evening to see if other ODAC teams or individuals join the Quakers in Greensboro.

For more information on ODAC men's golf, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow the ODAC on Twitter at @odacathletics.