Rice University
Rice Intercollegiate
Baylor Wins Rice Intercollegiate
2/19/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Feb. 19, 2008
Final Stats | Photo Gallery 1 
| Photo Gallery 2
HOUSTON - Louisiana Tech's Amrith de Soysa shot an even-par 72 Tuesday to finish with a one-over-par score of 217 to capture individual medalist honors at the 8th Annual Rice Intercollegiate presented by Srixon Tuesday. Baylor won the team title by two strokes over UC Davis.
Led by Jeff Gerlich's 70 on Tuesday, Baylor shot a 297 for the final round to finish with an 878 team score. UC Davis finished with an 880 while Pacific was third with an 884. Memphis, which was in second place after two rounds, finished fourth with an 887.
Playing on its home course, Westwood Golf Club, Rice struggled the final round of the tournament and slipped to eighth. The Owls shot an 898 team score, finishing with a 304 on Tuesday.
After a second-round score of 68, Rice sophomore Michael Buttacavoli shot a 75 Tuesday and was the Owls' top performer, finishing in a tie for 12th.
Prior to the third round beginning Tuesday morning, de Soysa was one of two players who had to finish his second round as play was called Monday by darkness. He ended up shooting a 71 and headed into the final 18 holes tied for third with a one-over par 145.
For Tuesday's final round, de Soysa began play at the 10th hole and started with back-to-back birdies. He would make the turn to No. 1 at three-under par. On Westwood's front nine, de Soysa gave ground including a bogey at the par three, eighth hole before dropping a par putt at nine.
Finishing a stroke behind de Soysa in a tie for second was Winthrop's Kelly Manders and Southern Utah's Matt McArthur. Manders shot a 68 on Tuesday while McArthur had an eagle on six en route to a 69. Second-round co-leader Brad Benjamin shot a 75 Tuesday to card a 219 and finished in a tie for fourth with UC Davis' Ramie Sprikling and Pacific's T.J. Bordeaux.
Benjamin shared the second-round lead with Baylor's Colton Williams. Williams, who shot a 67 for the opening round, withdrew after Monday's play to attend a funeral on Tuesday.
Behind Gerlich's 70 for a three-round score of 220, teammates Wesley Williams and Bill Allcorn both shot 76s Tuesday and finished in a tie for 12th with 221 scorecards.
Rice returns to play next week when it takes part in the Cuthbert Cup on Kiawah Island, S.C.
Players Mentioned
