April 28, 2008

Pioneers Capture AMC/NAIA Region IX Title, Advance To NAIA Nationals; Ben Smith Earns Medalist Honors

 
The Malone College men’s golf team, led by veteran head coach Ken Hyland, won the AMC/NAIA Region IX Tournament at the Apple Valley Golf Course in Howard, Ohio last Friday and Saturday and earned an automatic berth to the NAIA National Championships May 13-16 at the Indiana National Golf Club in Plymouth, Indiana.
     
At the 54-hole region event, Malone tallied a score of 873 (304-288-281) to convincingly win their fifth straight championship by 19 strokes among a field of 10 teams.  Ohio Dominican University finished as the runner-up with an 892 (306-292-294) while SUNY – Delhi took third at 905 (304-300-301).  Mount Vernon Nazarene University finished in fourth place at 914 (307-305-302) and Cedarville University rounded out the top five at 918 (308-306-304).
    
Malone’s impressive final round score of 281 (7 under par) tied the school record for the lowest round ever shot and propelled the Pioneers to their 21st overall conference title.
    
Malone sophomore Ben Smith (So., Carrollton H.S.) won the tournament for the second year in a row with a total of 213 (77-70-66) to earn the Al Turner trophy and league MVP award.  Smith’s final round of 66 (36-30), which included six straight birdies (11th through the 16th), tied the school record for lowest round and his back-nine 30 set a new Malone record as the lowest nine holes in the program’s history.  Prior to Smith’s round of 66, only three other Pioneers had ever posted a round of 66.  Accomplishing the feat (including the year in which they did it) were Ken Hyland (’69), Josh Anderson (’98) and Grant Gates (’06).
    
Justin Lower (Fr., Northwest H.S.) followed in second place overall just two shots back at 215 (73-72-70).  Darren Phipps (Sr., Lake H.S.) finished with a 220 (78-71-71) which was good for fourth place overall.  Finishing in a tie for fifth place was Michael Strayer (So., Riverside H.S.) with a 225 (76-75-74) while Matt Strayer (Sr., Riverside H.S.) finished with a 239 (81-80-78).
    
In addition, four Malone athletes -- Smith, Lower, Phipps, and Michael Strayer -- were named to the All-AMC Region IX First Team.  In addition, Matt Strayer earned the NAIA Scholar Athlete award with a 3.95 cumulative GPA. 
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