UVa Men's Golfers Shoot Their Way to Record Win

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April 8, 2014

McKinney, Texas – The No. 10 Virginia men’s golf team used a record-setting performance to win its second tournament title of the season and rewrite several program scoring records in the process. The Cavaliers shot 45-under 819 to run away with the Jim West Intercollegiate at the par-72 TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas. UVa won by 29 strokes over runner-up Iowa State.

Cavalier teammates senior (Greenwich, Conn.) and junior All-American Denny McCarthy (Rockville, Md.) finished the 54-hole event tied for first at 13-under 203. Pastore won a one-hole playoff to take home the medalist trophy and claim the first victory in his career.

The Cavaliers’ score against par was the second lowest in ACC history. Only Georgia Tech’s 56-under (808) performance in 2005 at the Waikola Intercollegiate was better.

Virginia’s final tally bettered the program’s tournament scoring record by an astonishing 23 strokes. UVa’s previous best all-time tournament score was 22-under 830 at the East Carolina Emerald Intercollegiate, which was played on the par-71 Emerald Golf Club in New Bern, N.C. in 1993.

UVa’s second-round score of 21-under 267 was the best single-round effort in the program’s history. The Cavaliers shot 15-under 273 to open play and posted a final round effort of 9-under 279.

“It’s hard to put into words how well they played over two days,” said head coach Bowen Sargent, who picked up the 13th win in his 10-year career at Virginia. “It was impressive from top to bottom. Everybody played well pretty much every round.

“It was one of those magical moments where everybody clicks. That doesn’t happen that often in our sport. I hope this gives them a good shot in the arm as we get ready to head into postseason play.”

Pastore, who was a member of the UVa club golf team three years ago, recorded the best tournament score of his career (203) and had bookend rounds of 6-under 66 to open and close the event to post his best 18-hole performances as a collegiate. Pastore had 16 birdies and an eagle during his 54-holes of play while recording only five bogeys.

McCarthy had rounds of 70, 64 and 69 to better his previous best tournament scoring mark of 205 by two strokes. He amassed 20 birdies en route to recording the 12th top-10 finish of his career. It marked the second time he has finished first in a tournament and this was his fifth top-five outing this season.

Ben Rusch, the 2012 ACC individual champion, and freshman Derek Bard joined their teammates with top-10 finishes. Rusch shot even par 72 Tuesday to place seventh at 8-under 208. After opening with scores of 68 and 65, Bard finished with a 77 that included a quadruple bogey on his third hole. He was ninth at 6-under 210. Bard now has three top-10 finishes in just six collegiate outings.

Jimmy Stanger finished with a 72 to complete play in 26th place at 1-over 217. Ji Soo Park, competing as a non-scoring individual, was 20th at 1-under 215.

The Cavaliers wrap up the regular season April 19-20 at the Wolfpack Intercollegiate in Raleigh, N.C.

Jim West Intercollegiate
TPC Craig Ranch
McKinney, Texas
Par 72, 7,417 yards
Final Results

Team Results

1. Virginia 273-267-279-819 2. Iowa State 278-275-295-848 3. UL Monroe 274-282-296-852 4. Sam Houston State 278-284-295-857 5. UT Arlington 291-278-289-858 6. Stephen F. Austin 288-283-289-860 7. Central Arkansas 290-278-296-864 8. McNeese State 289-283-297-869 9. Arkansas Little Rock 284-292-294-87010. Texas State 283-287-301-87111. Houston Baptist 288-290-295-87412. Florida Gulf Coast 301-288-300-88913. Oral Roberts 294-288-308-89014. Florida Atlantic 300-296-308-904

Individual Leaders1. Denny McCarthy, Virginia 70-64-69-2031. , Virginia 66-71-66-2033. Matias Calderon, UALR 69-68-68-2053. Preston Stanley, Houston Baptist 67-66-72-2055. Sam Daley, Iowa State 68-68-70-2065. Mason Seaborn, Louisiana-Monroe 68-67-71-2067. Ben Rusch, Virginia 69-67-72-208

Virginia Results 1. David Pastore# 66-71-66-203 1. Denny McCarthy 70-64-69-203 7. Ben Rusch 69-67-72-208 9. Derek Bard 68-65-77-21026. Jimmy Stanger 70-75-72-21720. Ji Soo Park* 74-70-71-215# Won playoff for medalist* Competing as a non-scoring individual