May 23, 2019
Men’s Golf
NCAA Division II National Championship Match Play
Lynn def. Cal-State Monterey Bay 4-0-1 – Quarterfinals
Lynn def. West Florida 4-1-0 – Semifinals
Daniels, W. Va. – And then there were two. Lynn University’s men’s golf team dispatched of Cal State Monterey Bay 4-0-1 in the quarterfinals before knocking off West Florida 4-1-0 in the semifinals to advance to the NCAA Division II National Championship match. No. 2 Lynn will battle fifth-ranked Lincoln Memorial on Friday, May 24, at 9 a.m. for the national title.
This is the third consecutive national championship match for the Fighting Knights, fourth in five years and sixth in the nine years of NCAA D2 match play. Jorge Villar picked up two crucial match wins while Toto Gana became the program leader in match play victories.
INSIDE THE TOURNAMENT:
Results: Lynn def. Cal State Monterey Bay 4-0-1; Lynn def. West Florida 4-1-0
Location: Cobb Course at Glade Springs | Daniels, W.Va.
Par/Yardage: 72/7,114
History at Event: Seventh consecutive national championship appearance; 13th overall (2018 national champions at RTJ – The Shoals).
Get Social: Twitter – @Lynn_Knights | Instagram – @Lynn_Knights | Facebook – /LynnFightingKnights
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Quarterfinals – Cal State Monterey Bay
- Lynn picked up victories at the top three positions and no. 5 and earned tie at the No. 4 flight.
- Villar set the tone with a five-stroke victory (75-80) in the top position.
- Each team’s top golfer during the year squared-off at the No. 2 flight with Ganna besting Matt Heges by five, 69-74.
- Carlos Bustos then secured the win with a 14-shot win against Edward Hackett 69-83.
- Giovanni Manzoni had the toughest draw, playing against Elis Svard. The Freshman All-American trailed by as many five shots with four holes to go but battled back to earn a draw 67-67.
- Agustin Errazuriz settled the score at No. 5, winning 73-80.
- Semifinals – West Florida
- This was a rematch of the 2018 NCAA Division II National Championship which the Blue & White won 3-2.
- Bustos jumped out to a five-stroke advantage thru six holes but Harry Butler closed the gap to even on the 10th hole. The 2018 championship hero did not wilt and won the last five holes to claim a five-stroke victory (68-73).
- Errazuriz took advantage of several gaffes by Argos’ top player Christian Bosso to go up by as many as seven before the turn. Bosso would get to within four with three to play but the Freshman All-American held off the charge to give Lynn a 2-0 lead.
- Manzoni was on the end of another heartbreak, a shooting two-under par 70 but still losing by two shots.
- Villar led for much of his match by only by a slim margin until he claimed wins two consecutive holes to build a three-shot advantage. A par on his final green gave him a four shot win (68-72) and sent Lynn to the national title.
- Gana and Jacob Huizinga volleyed leads back and forth until the 12th hole when Gana took the lead for good. He ended the round with a 70 to Huizinga’s 72.
BEYOND THE SCORECARD:
- Lynn has the most NCAA match play and match play championship appearances in NCAA DII history.
- Among the eight match play appearances, the Fighting Knights have one national title, four runner-ups, a semifinalist and quarterfinalist finishes.
- Gana’s seven match play victories surpasses Elliott Whitley, who won six from 2013-16.
- Bustos has four match play victories, moving into sole possession of sixth place and passing former teammate Manuel Torres, Jose Andres Miranda and Paul McPhee.
- Manzoni shot seven-under par on the day but did not win a match.
- Top-ranked Barry lost to Lincoln Memorial 3-2 in the morning with No. 4 Florida Southern beating Trevecca Nazarene 3-1-1. The Railsplitters then defeated the Moccasins 3-2 in the afternoon.
- West Florida beat Arkansas Tech 5-0 to advance to the semifinals.
- In last year’s meeting against West Florida, Gana defeated Bosso by three strokes and Torres topped Huizinga by three shots. Carlos Marrero, though, defeated Villar by eight.
- This is the Railsplitters first national championship appearance in men’s golf and the third-ever for Lincoln Memorial overall.
NEXT HOLE:
Lynn takes on Lincoln Memorial beginning at 9 a.m. from hole No. 1. Fans can keep up with live scoring at LynnFightingKnights.com.
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Chad Beattie
Assistant Athletics Director – Communications & Digital Strategy
Lynn University
