ATLANTA (Oct. 17) – Georgia Tech’s golf team ended Sunday in fifth place in the 1999 Iron Duke Golf Classic after 18 holes with a 10-over-par 298 at the par 72, 7,045-yard Duke Golf Course in Durham, N.C. The Classic, which was slated for 36 holes today and 18 Monday, was shortened due to steady rain forced inland by Hurricane Irene. The tournament will now be become a 36-hole affair with the final 18 holes to start Monday at 8 a.m.
Junior Bryce Molder (Conway, Ark.) ended the first day tied for the lead after firing a 2-under 70 to be knotted with Michael Hospodar of Old Dominion and Wayne Raath of Florida Southern. Molder went around the front nine in 36 strokes and then fired a Sunday-best 34 on the back nine to take a share of the lead.
The Jackets, playing without senior Matt Kuchar (Lake Mary, Fla.) who did not make the trip to rest his back, had one other top-20 finisher as redshirt-freshman Troy Matteson (Austin, Texas) tied for 18th with a 2-over 74. Sophomore Kris Mikkelsen (Woodstock, Ga.) wa tied for 37th with a 4-over 76 and senior Carlton Forrester (Gainesville, Ga.) ended tied for 56th with a 6-over 78. Junior Wes Latimer (Woodstock, Ga.) was one stroke back with a 7-over 79. Only four golfers were under par on the day and all 18 teams finished over par.
Host Duke took the first-day lead with a 3-over 291 and led second place Northwestern (294) by three strokes. Florida Southern was at 8-over 296 and Old Dominion was at 9-over 297.
Tech entered the tournament ranked No. 1 in the Golfweek computer rankings, while Northwestern is currently No. 3. Wildcat Luke Donald, the defending NCAA medalist and winner of seven of his last 11 tournaments, trailed the lead group by two strokes. He is ranked No. 1 in the Golfweek rankings, while Molder is No. 2.
Team Results:1. Duke 2912. Northwestern 2943. Florida Southern 2964. Old Dominion 2975. Georgia Tech 2986. Augusta State 299 North Carolina 2998. East Tennessee St. 303 Furman 303 Texas 303 Tulsa 30312. Wake Forest 30413. Ohio State 305 Virginia 30515. UNC Charlotte 30716. Georgia Southern 31117. Va. Commonwealth 31418. Coastal Carolina 321
Top 10 Individuals 1. Bryce Molder, Georgia Tech 70 Michael Hospodar, Old Dominion 70 Wayne Raath, Florida Southern 70 4. Chris Wisler, East Tenn. St. 71 5. Matt Krauss, Duke 72 Jay Morgan, Wake Forest 72 Luke Donald, Northwestern 72 Martin Maritz, Tulsa 72 Mike Christensen, Duke 72
