BROWNS SUMMIT, N.C. – For the first time since joining Conference Carolinas, King University has a men's golf conference champion. Senior Ross Maietta came from behind to take the individual title by two strokes with a tournament total of 213. Maietta nearly led the Tornado back to take the team title, but King came up just short, finishing second with a tournament total of 878 after their final round of 292.
Coming into the final round, Maietta trailed Belmont Abbey College's Nick Stafford by one stroke, but the Bexley, England native posted his second straight round under par to take the individual medalists honors. After carding a two-under 70 in the second round, Maietta posted a score of one-under 71 to finish with total of three-under 213, winning the title by two strokes over Stafford. He also becomes the first Tornado to win the Conference Carolinas men's golf individual championship.
The Tornado then placed their next three golfers in the top 15, let by Leennawat Numpituckchaikul who finished 12th with a three-day total of 221. The junior carded an even-par score of 72 in the final round. Mathias Bunaes and Taylor Gouge both finished 13th with tournament scores of 222. Bunaes carded a one-over 73 in the final round while Gouge shot 76 on Tuesday. Sam Hobday rounded out the team with a third round score of 80 to finish at 236.
King finished right where they started the day, five strokes back of champion Limestone College with a score of 878 while the Saints ended at 873. Both teams shot 292 in the final round and were close down the back nine. North Greenville University finished third at 881 while Barton College took fourth at 893. The University of Mount Olive and Erskine College tied for fifth at 894.
