LONDON, Ky. -- The Lindsey Wilson College men's golf team won the NAIA Region XI Championships today at the London Country Club.
Lindsey Wilson earns the region's automatic bid into the 55th Annual NAIA Men's Golf National Championships to be played May 16-19 at Prairie Highlands Golf Course in Olathe, Kansas.
The Blue Raiders shot a season-low 282 in the third and final round of the 54-hole tournament to win by 10 strokes over second place Campbellsville (Ky.) University.
Lindsey Wilson completed the tournament with an 870 (288-300-282) over the 6,356-yard, par 71 course.
Campbellsville's 880 (296-292-292) and Union (Tenn.) University's 891 (296-303-292) finished second and third respectively.
Lindsey Wilson senior
Tyler Sharpe and freshman
Carlos Navarro finished tied for second at two-over par 215.
Sharpe, who won his fourth consecutive Mid-South Conference Men's Golfer of the Year during the tournament, shot 71, 75 and 69 during the three rounds.
Sharpe's final round of 69 earned the Greensburg, Kentucky, native his fourth straight player of the year award. Sharpe and University of the Cumberlands' Eric King entered the final round tied for the season-ending award after six rounds -- two rounds from the MSC fall tournament, two rounds from the MSC spring tournament and the first 36 holes of the region tournament.
King shot 74 in the final round to earn all-conference honors.
Navarro, playing in his first regional tournament, shot 72, 73 and 70 during the three rounds.
Union's Cole Floyd earned medalist honors for the regional tournament with a 54-hole total of two-under par, 211 (70-71-70). With the win, Cole earns a trip to the NAIA National Tournament as an individual.
Lindsey Wilson senior
Federico Lizarralde (73-76-71) and junior Zach Wilson (72-76-72) tied for fifth with a 220. Junior
Kyle Andreas (77-77-81) finished tied for 27th with a 235.
"I'm proud of the way our guys battled over the two days," men's golf Chris Starks said. "Getting back to the national tournament was always one of our goals this season and after struggling a bit during the spring season, makes this win that much sweeter."
Starks was named NAIA Region XI Coach of the Year following his team's win.
Sharpe and Lizarralde earned All Mid-South Conference honors, for their play over the three conference sponsored tournament during the season. They were joined on the all-conference team by King, Cumberlands' Justin Price and Campbellsville's Jeff Sullivan and Phillip Wolfe.
Campbellsville coach P.J. Throckmorton was named MSC Coach of the Year, as voted on by his peers.
Lindsey Wilson will enter the national tournament with eight tournament wins this season, including three straight.
