Feb. 22, 2015
Complete Results and Live Tournament Scoring
Rio Grande, P.R. – Georgia Tech’s golf team, ranked fourth in the nation by the Golf Coaches Association of America, opened its spring season with a 4-over-par round of 292 and stand in sixth place at the Puerto Rico Classic in Rio Grande, P.R. The 54-hole event runs through Tuesday at the Rio Mar Resort.
TECH LINEUP – Freshmen Jacob Joiner (Leesburg, Ga.) and Michael Pisciotta (Alpharetta, Ga.) led the way for Georgia Tech Sunday with scored of 70 (-2) and 73 (+1), respectively. Seniors Anders Albertson (Woodstock, Ga.) and Ollie Schniederjans (Powder Springs, Ga.) counted for Tech with rounds of 74 and 75. Sophomore Vincent Whaley (McKinney, Texas) shot 80.
TEAM LEADERBOARD – Georgia took a five-shot lead over Alabama Sunday by posting 8-under-par 280. Virginia Tech (287, -1) is in third place, followed by Clemson (288, E), Oklahoma (291, +3) and the Yellow Jackets (292, +4). Minnesota, Nebraska and Michigan are tied for seventh another four strokes back (296, +8).
INDIVIDUAL LEADERBOARD – Virginia Tech’s Scott Vincent grabbed the first-round lead with a 5-under-par 67, two shots ahead of a five-player group at 3-under 69 that includes Georgia’s Nicholas Reach and Sepp Straka, Clemson’s Miller Capps, Alabama’s Robby Shelton and Oklahoma’s Grant Hirschman. The Yellow Jackets’ Joiner is a four-way tie for seventh place at 2-under 70. Pisciotta is in a tie for 22nd, Albertson in a tie for 30th, Schniederjans in a tie for 39th, and Whaley in a tie for 69th.
COACH Bruce Heppler SAYS – “It was very windy from the start today. Our two freshmen played very well, however. As always, we need to have our seniors anchor us.”
INDIVIDUAL EVENT – Nine individuals from the teams participating in the Puerto Rico Classic are competing in an individual event concurrently with the team event. Tech freshman Chris Petefish shot even par 71 and is tied for first place.
TOURNAMENT INFORMATION – The Puerto Rico Classic is a typical 54-hole collegiate event, with the low four scores out of five counting each day. Round two is set for Monday, with the final round Tuesday.The 16-year-old event is played on the Rio Mar Beach Resort and Spa (6,902 yards, par 72) in Rio Grande, P.R. The 15-team field features nine teams in the current Golfweek/Sagarin top-50, including Georgia Tech (6), North Carolina (9), Alabama (11), Oklahoma (22), Virginia Tech (28), Clemson (30), East Tennessee State (32), Georgia (39), North Carolina State (47), UNC Greensboro (56), Michigan (63), Purdue (70), Minnesota (99), Tulsa (120) and Nebraska (207). Georgia Tech, Oklahoma, Alabama,, Virginia Tech and Purdue all reached last year’s NCAA Championship.
TOURNAMENT HISTORY – Georgia Tech has played in the Puerto Rico Classic every year the event has been held and won the event four times (2000, 2001, 2002, 2005). Three Yellow Jackets have won medalist honors (Troy Matteson, 2002, Roberto Castro, 2007, James White, 2011). Tech has also been the runner-up three times, most recently last year by four shots to Alabama. The Jackets shot a team total of 819 (41-under-par).
ABOUT GEORGIA TECH GOLF
Georgia Tech’s golf team is in its 20th year under head coach Bruce Heppler. The Yellow Jackets have won 15 Atlantic Coast Conference Championships, made 27 appearances in the NCAA Championship and been the national runner-up four times. Connect with Georgia Tech Golf on social media by liking their Facebook page, or following on Twitter (@GT_Golf). For more information on Tech golf, visit Ramblinwreck.com.
