RESULTS

SEASIDE, Calif. --- Point Loma Nazarene (879) claimed the team victory at the NAIA Unaffiliated Grouping #2 (Cal Pac/Cascade/GSAC) Golf Tournament on Tuesday.  The win garnered the Green and Gold an automatic berth to the NAIA National Tournament held in Salem, Oregon.

The 54-hole event was held at Black Horse Golf Course, under perfect weather conditions. The Sea Lions opened up with a 291 during Monday's morning round and then sliced 10 strokes off that score (281) in the second for a 36-hole tally of 572.

That score propelled PLNU out of a tie with The Master's into first place by 13 strokes. On Tuesday Point Loma shot 308 for a three-round 879 total, 14 better than second-place TMC (893).

“We didn't play that well today,” said PLNU Coach Ben Foster. “It was tougher pin placement and the course played harder. Yesterday was one of the better scores this team has shot. All-in-all, I am very pleased with the result. We got ahead and never looked back.”

Simpson (906 was third, followed by Concordia, OR (9917), Biola (930), Warner Pacific (932), Holy Names (939), Corban (944), William Jessup (958), Northwest Christian (964), College of Idaho (974) and Menlo (980).

PLNU senior Ryan Ellerbrock shot 217 (70-68-79) to lead the team, but the senior did not win the event. Ellerbrock was second, one stroke behind Mitch Card of Simpson who carded an even par 216 .

Sea Lion Zane Keith shot 219 (72-69-78) to place in a tie for third, Oscar Casillas totaled 222 (73-72-77) to tie for eighth, Cole Reese posted a 225 (76-75-74) to tie for ninth and Brent Hamilton shot 228 (78-72-78), finishing in a tie for 14th.

“The guys were really focused the whole time,” said Foster. “With the lead we had going into the last round I think we were in “grind” mode for the most part."

PLNU will take a few days off before heading up to Oregon later next week. The team will play a couple of practice rounds at the Creekside Golf Club in preparation for the four-day, four-round national championships that begins on Tuesday, May 22.

“We're pretty solid and playing some good golf right now,” Foster said. “We have a chance to make some noise at the national tournament.”