Bard and Stanger Lead UVA to 2nd Place at Palmetto Invite

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March 8, 2016

Aiken, S.C. – The No. 26 Virginia men’s golf team opened its annual spring break trip with a second place finish at the Cleveland Golf Palmetto Invite in Aiken, S.C. The Cavaliers finished the two-day, 54-hole event at 1-under 839. UVA shot 3-over 283 during Tuesday’s final round at the Palmetto Golf Club.

South Carolina ran away from the 18-team field, shooting 19-under 821, to take home the team title. UVA was 18 shots ahead of third-place Augusta which posted a score of 17-over 857.

UVA was led by the top-10 finishes of juniors Derek Bard (New Hartford, N.Y.) and Jimmy Stanger (Tampa, Fla.). Bard was fifth overall at 3-under 207 while Stanger tied for sixth at 209. Both players posted final round scores of 1-over 71.

Bard now has four top-five finishes this season and raised his career top-10 finish tally to 12. He has been UVA’s low scorer in three of its last four events.

Stanger’s score was the lowest tournament total of his career. It marked the fifth time he has managed a top-10 outings.

Sophomore Danny Walker (Bradenton, Fla.) had UVA’s lowest round on Tuesday, shooting 4-under 66 to move up to 12th place at 2-over 212. Freshman Thomas Walsh (High Point, N.C.) was 19th at 215 and senior Kyle Kochevar (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) was 56th at 224. Both Walsh and Kochevar finished with rounds of 75.

South Carolina’s Matthew NeSmith took medalist honors at 7-under 203.

Virginia remains in the Palmetto state this week and will participate in the General Hackler Championship at The Dunes Golf Club in Myrtle Beach on March 12-13.

Cleveland Golf Palmetto Invitational
Palmetto Golf Club
Aiken, S.C.
Par 70, 6,617 yards
Final Results

Team Results 1. South Carolina   276-266-279-821 2. Virginia         283-273-283-839 3. Augusta          280-292-285-857 4. East Carolina    293-280-288-861 4. Chattanooga      289-290-282-861 6. Georgia Southern 288-291-284-863 6. NC State         294-282-287-863 8. Furman           290-293-281-864 9. Liberty          299-282-289-87010. Maryland         289-291-297-87711. USC Aiken        296-288-297-88111. Coastal Carolina 291-290-300-88113. Wofford          294-291-298-88314. Akron            290-301-294-88515. Idaho            299-292-295-88616. Wisconsin        307-289-293-88917. Presbyterian     293-299-304-89618. Francis Marion   307-297-308-912
Individual Leaders1. Matthew NeSmith, South Carolina  67-67-69-2032. Maverick Antcliff, Augusta       68-69-67-2043. Will Starke, South Carolina      70-66-69-2054. Preston Cole, Furman             66-71-69-206
Virginia Results 5. Derek Bard     71-65-71-207 6. Jimmy Stanger  70-68-71-20912. Danny Walker   71-75-66-21219. Thomas Walsh   71-69-75-21556. Kyle Kochevar  78-71-75-224="http:>="http:>="http:>="http:>="http:>