Temple University Athletics
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Golf Finishes Fourth At A-10s For Best Showing Since 2002
4.26.09 | Men's Golf
April 26, 2009
HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, FL - Temple posted its best finish since 2002 and had two players named to the All-Atlantic 10 team for the first time since 2003 as the Owls finished fourth at the 2009 Atlantic 10 Golf Championship, which concluded on Sunday at the Mission Inn Resort. Sophomore Andrew Mason, who finished fifth, and junior Eric Plisko, who finished 17th, earned all-conference honors.
"We had a good week," second-year head coach Brian Quinn said. "I'm proud of all of our guys of how they played. Andrew and Eric played great and are deserving of all-conference."
The Cherry and White, which finished no higher than sixth in the past six A-10 tournaments, shot a 294-307-306=907 (+55) to place fourth in the 12-team field. The Owls' previous best finish was third in 2002.
Mason and Plisko are the first all-A-10 honorees since James Chan finished fourth in 2003 and it is the first time since 2002 that a pair of Owls earned all-conference recognition (Jon Rusk, Jerry Chen. This season, the all-conference team was made of the top five finishers and five players voted upon by the league's coaches.
After finishing 32nd last season, Mason strung together four birdies on Sunday, including one on 18 to tie for fifth, the lowest Owl since Chen in 2003. He had a consistent 73-73-74=220 (+7) for the event and was eight shots back of individual winner, Corey Nagy of Charlotte (71-69-72=212, -1).
Plisko shot an 80 on Sunday to finish with a 74-74-80=228 (+15) and tied for 17th. His previous best finish was 37th at A-10s.
Senior Kevin Busteed fired a 76 on Sunday to complete his 72-78-76=226 (+13) to tie for 15th. Last spring, he played his only event at A-10s and placed 42nd.
Senior Adam Pifer completed his four-year career by shooting an 81-82-76=239 (+26) to tie for 34th. Pifer, who shot a five-over 40 on the front, rebounded with an even-par 36 on the back to keep the Owls in fourth place.
Sophomore Joseph Kim shot a 75-82-86=243 (+30) to finish 45th.
Charlotte (+20/872) became the first A-10 program to win four straight titles since Penn State won five consecutive crowns from 1986-91. Xavier shot 10-over for the day and 31-over par (883) for the Championship for its third runner-up finish in the past four years.
Richmond junior Robert Lindstrom carded a final round 69, the top individual effort of the day, as the Spiders (+45/897) posted the low round of the day at five-over par to place third overall. It marked their highest finish since tying for third in 2005.
Temple was followed by Rhode Island (+62/914), St. Bonaventure (+65/917), Dayton (+78/930), George Washington (+85/937), Saint Joseph's (+87/939), Duquesne (+117/969), La Salle (+125/977) and Fordham (+152/1004).
