Panthers finish second at Piedmont Invitational
March 19, 2007

The LaGrange College golf team did enough from tee to green to walk away with a tournament championship on Monday.

It was what the Panthers did on the green, though, that cost them in the Piedmont College Invitational.The Panthers came into Monday's final round with an eight-stroke lead, but they ended up settling for a second-place finish behind Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.

The Panthers shot a 299 in the first round, and they had a 308 in the second round to finish two strokes behind ABAC.

"The guys just couldn't make a putt today," LaGrange College coach Lee Richter said. "It was a frustrating day on the greens. I followed them all for at least a few holes, and I saw one of our guys make a putt, and that was it."

It was still another solid finish for the Panthers, who previously had top-10 the Wynlakes Invitational and the Callaway Gardens Invitatinal.

"We wish we could have ended up finishing it off, but we just couldn't get any putts to fall," Richter said. "But it was a good solid showing. We beat some good teams. The guys did pretty good."

Alexander Eloriagga, who was tied for the first-round lead with a 70, shot a 76 on Monday and finished in second place. Freddy Uribe followed up his first-round 74 with a 76 on Monday and finished in fourth. Ryan Willis had rounds of 75 and 82, and Bo Tiller was a shot back with scores of 80 and 78. Anthony Yacovazzi shaved seven strokes off his scores between rounds, going from an 85 to a 78.

The Panthers will play their fourth tournament of the spring this weekend when they participate in the Jekyll Island Invitational. The tournament will be  held from Thursday through Sunday at the Oleander course.

Courtesy of the LaGrange Daily News