2017 Little Rock Invitational
Chenal Country Club | Little Rock, Ark.
Result: Little Rock captures the team title at 15-over 879
Top Finisher: Aaron Ramos finishes third at 3-under 213
Up Next: Duck Commander Intercollegiate | El Dorado, Ark. | Oct. 29-31
LITTLE ROCK – Entering Tuesday's final round with a one stroke lead, head coach
Jake Harrington said all he wanted was for Little Rock to shoot the low round of the day. The Trojans responded with a 10-over 298, en route to capturing the 2017 Little Rock Invitational title with a 15-over 879, defending their title from earlier this spring.
Battling brutal winds that measured between 20 and 25 miles per hour throughout the day, with gusts up to 40 mph, Little Rock was the only team to post a sub-300 score Tuesday, finishing eight shots better than Illinois State's 18-over 306 and defeating the Redbirds (24-over 888) by nine strokes.
The Trojans were led by a pair of players that finished among the individual top-10, led by freshman
Aaron Ramos placing third with a 3-under 213. After posting a pair of 69s Monday, Ramos carded a 3-over 75 to record his first collegiate top-10 finish, finishing tied for second among the field in both par-four (1-over) and par-five scoring (4-under).
Sophomore
Danial Durisic also notched a top-10 finish, matching his career-best by tying for seventh just as he did in Little Rock's home event back in March. Durisic carded a 2-over 74 in round three and finished at 2-over 218, one shot off his score from earlier in the spring.
Junior
Justin Warren tied for 25th at 9-over 225, shooting a 4-over 76 on the day, with freshman
Tiago Lobo tying for 32nd at 13-over 229 with a 7-over 79 over the final 18 holes.
After struggling on Monday, junior
George Scanlon regrouped to post the low round of the day for the Trojans, shooting a 1-over 73 to finish at 15-over 231. Scanlon was one shot better than freshman
Trueman Park's 16-over 232 as Park competed as an individual over the two-day event.
After seeing its 12-stroke lead dwindle to just one in round two, Little Rock saw Illinois State carry its surge into the early holes of round three as the Redbirds led the Trojans by as many as three strokes near the midway point. But with the two teams tied at 5-over at the turn, Little Rock was able to manage the fierce afternoon winds better, pushing past the Redbirds to claim its first team title of the year.
Behind the Trojans and Redbirds, Stephen F. Austin jumped three spots over the final 18 holes to finish third at 30-over 894. Dayton (31-over 895) and UT Arlington (31-over 895) rounded out the top-five with Arkansas State, Bradley and Houston Baptist finishing in a three-way tie for sixth at 35-over 899.
Little Rock closes out the fall portion of its schedule next week, heading south to El Dorado for the 2017 Duck Commander Intercollegiate. Hosted by Louisiana-Monroe, the event will be held at Mystic Creek Golf Club Sunday October 29 through Tuesday, October 31.
2017 Little Rock Invitational Final Results
Player in italics competed as an individual
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