POOLER, Ga. - Florida Southern senior All-American Tim Crouch will get the chance to defend his 2013 NCAA Division II National Championship as the two-time First-Team All-Sunshine State Conference honoree carded a one-under par 71 in Wednesday's final round of the South/Southeast Super Regional at Savannah Quarters Country Club to finish with a six-under par 210 and earn medalist honors and one of two individual qualifying positions to the 2014 D-II National Championships.
Crouch will represent Florida Southern at this year's NCAA Division II National Championship, which is scheduled for May 19-23 at the Meadows Golf Club in Allendale, Mich. Last season, Crouch became the seventh Moccasin to win an individual national championship and is the first Moccasin golfer to earn a spot in nationals as an individual since Brian Richey qualified as an individual in 2009.
In Wednesday's final round, Crouch, who entered the day tied for first place, opened by shooting a three-over 39 on the back nine, including recording a triple bogey after hitting the ball out-of-bounds on the par 4, No. 16 hole, before carding a four-under par 32 on the front nine to finish with his one-under par 70 for the round. Crouch finished one shot in front of Saint Leo's Ryan Gendron, who earned the second individual qualifier spot to nationals from the super regional. Gendron shot a two-under 70 in the final round and finished with a 54 hole total of 211. Flagler's Spencer Schindler, Clayton State's Patrick Kim, Nova Southeastern's Santiago Gomez and USC-Aiken's Brandon Robinson-Thompson all carded four-under par 212's to finish tied for third place.
"I am really excited that I will be able to go back to nationals and defend my title from a year ago. What a great way to cap my collegiate golfing career," Crouch said following his round on Wednesday. "I knew I needed to play well over my last nine holes today after recording that triple bogey on the 16th."
While Crouch will get to continue his season one more week, the Moccasins team saw their season come to an end on Wednesday as they shot an 11-over par 299 in the final round to finish in 12th place overall out of 20 teams with an 897 for 54 holes. The Mocs, who entered the final round sitting in a tie for 11th place and were within eight shots of one of the seven team qualifying spots to nationals, saw their chances at nationals disappear on the first nine holes Wednesday as their four counters shot 12-over par on the back nine (holes 10-18), before they shot a one-under par on the front nine (holes 1-9). On the opening nine holes, the Mocs recorded six birdies, five bogeys, eight double bogeys and Crouch's triple bogey.
The Mocs finished one shot ahead of West Florida, who fired an 898 to finish in 13th place and were five shots behind Erskine, who shot an 892 for 54 holes to finish 11th. Ironically, FSC played the final round with Erskine and West Florida.
Barry, who is the defending NCAA Division II National Champion, took home the team title as this year's super regional as they shot a final round 284 to finish with a four-over 868 for 54 holes. The Buccaneers finished six shots in front of second place Nova Southeastern, who carded a 292 in the final round and finished with an 874 for 54 holes and they were eight shots in front of both USC-Aiken and Armstrong Atlantic, who each shot 12-over 876's to finish tied for third place.
The other three teams that advanced to D-II Nationals from the South/Southeast Super Regional were Lynn, Delta State and North Alabama. Lynn fired a final round 292 to finish fifth with an 877 for 54 holes, while Delta State had the round of the tournament on Wednesday as they carded a 12-under 276 to climb 11 spots on the leaderboard after tallying an 881 to finish tied for sixth with North Alabama, who carded a final round score of 291.
Florida Tech just missed getting into a playoff for the final two team spots in nationals by one shot as they finished the final round with a 291 and they carded an 882 for 54 holes to finish eighth. Flagler and Saint Leo each shot 888's for 54 holes to finish in a tie for ninth. Clayton State came in 14th place as they shot an 899 for 54 holes and Columbus State finished 15th with a 907 for 54 holes.
The final five finishers were Georgia College and Rollins, who each shot 911's to finish tied for 16th place, while Limestone finished 18th as they shot a 913 for 54 holes. Queen's (NC) and Carson-Newman finished 19th and 20th respectively as they shot 54 hole team scores of 918 and 941.
In addition to Crouch, sophomore Austin Schultz (Lakeland, Fla.) fired a four-over 76 in the final round and posted a 227 for 54 holes to finish in a tie for 52nd place. Schultz, who fired rounds of 76, 75 and 76, had three birdies, five bogeys and a double bogey on his scorecard in Wednesday's final round.
Senior Shane Convery (Ponte Vedra, Fla.) concluded his collegiate career by firing a final round score of 77 to push his 54 hole total to 229, which placed him in a tie for 65th place. Convery, who posted rounds of 76, 76 and 77 at the super regional, recorded two bogeys, two double bogeys and a birdie on his scorecard on Wednesday. Additionally, he shot an even-par 36 on the front nine.
The second best score of the day for the Mocs was posted by freshman Levin Hoffman (Sarstedt, Germany), who fired a career-low round of three-over par 75. Prior to his 75 on Wednesday, Hoffman's previous best round this season was 79, which he shot in Monday's first round. Hoffman, who was playing in just his second collegiate tournament, finished in 84th place overall after firing a 235 for 54 holes. Hoffman, who had rounds of 79, 81 and 75 at the super regional, recorded two birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey on his scorecard on Wednesday.
FSC's final competitor was freshman Jason Huntington (Lakeland, Fla.). Huntington recorded a final round score of 78 and finished in a tie for 85th place after firing a 236 for 54 holes. In Wednesday's final round, Huntington got off to a slow start as he carded a six-over 42 on the back nine that featured four double bogeys and two birdies, before shooting an even-par 36 on the front nine after he had both a birdie and a bogey.
Crouch will now return to action on May 19-23 at the 2014 NCAA Division II National Championships in Allendale, Mich., at the Meadows Golf Club. The national championships will consist of 20 teams from the four combined super regionals and a total of eight individuals (the top two from each super regional not on an advancing team). The first three days of the tournament are stroke play to determine the individual national champion. Following stroke play, the top eight teams will advance to medal/match play format to determine the team national champion. It is just the third time since 2005 and first since 2009 that the 12-time national champion Moccasins have not advanced as a team to the Division II National Championships. ÂÂ
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