MEN'S GOLF WINS AMERICA SKY TITLE; RAPPLEYE IS MEDALIST
5/1/2012
NORTH STONINGTON, Conn. — The Sacramento State men's golf team secured its first trip to an NCAA Div. I regional by winning the America Sky Championship by 42 strokes on Tuesday at Lake of Isles.
The Hornets shot 302 during a rain-soaked third round and finished the 54-hole tournament with a total of 878. Houston Baptist was second at 920. Sacramento State becomes the first school to earn the America Sky's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Regionals. The regionals will take place May 17-19 at six locations, including Stanford.
Individually, Cameron Rappleye recorded his second victory of the season with a total of 214. Rappleye shot 71 in the first two rounds before ending with an even-par 72. Teammate Jordan Weir was second at 74-70-72-216 and Jake Johnson tied for fourth (73-73-78-224).
"We're all pretty excited," Sacramento State head coach Chris Hall said. "We went out on the first day and really tore up the back nine which allowed us to separate from the field. The second day we extended our lead which allowed us to go out today and play our game without too much pressure."
Sacramento State rewrote the conference championship record book, setting the 18, 36 and 54-hole records. Cameron Rappleye also recorded the lowest individual total in the league's five-year history.
Following the tournament, Hall was named the conference Coach of the Year.
Temperatures in the 30s and heavy rain led to high scores during the third round. Sacramento State's 14-over 302 was its highest score during the tournament but was still the best of the day by 13 strokes.
Rappleye and Weir each shot 72 to lead the way. Rappleye was 2-over through his first three holes but dropped into the red with birdies on the par-4 8th and 10th and par-5 12th. He remained there until a bogey on the par-3 16th moved him back to even.
Weir also took a while to warm up during the third round, bogeying three of the first seven holes. A birdie on 8 preceded two pars and a bogey on the par-3 11th. From that point, he rallied for birdies on Nos. 12, 13 and 17 as well as four pars.
Johnson had two birdies (3 and 18) as well as 10 pars but was hindered by four bogeys and a pair of double bogeys during his final round. The senior shot 39 on both sides of the course to record his sixth top five finish in his career.
Grant Rappleye provided the final counting score to the team total with an 80. Rappleye recorded two birdies, eight pars, six bogeys and a pair of double bogeys.
AMERICA SKY CHAMPIONSHIP
Lake of Isles GC • North Stonington, Conn.
Par 72 • 6,928 yards
TEAM SCORES 1. Sacramento State 290-286-302-878
2. Houston Baptist 307-298-315-920
3. Hartford 310-296-321-927
4. Utah Valley 314-301-316-931
T5. Northern Colorado 319-308-321-948
T5. Seattle 314-312-322-948
7. Weber State 319-308-326-953
8. North Dakota 320-315-329-964
T9. Binghamton 313-315-340-968
T9. CSU Bakersfield 326-307-335-968
11. Texas-Pan American 320-306-345-971
12. Chicago State 350-357-393-1100
INDIVIDUAL TOP FIVE 1. Cameron Rappleye, SAC, 71-71-72-214 2. Jordan Weir, SAC, 74-70-72-216
3. Mason Casper, UV, 73-73-75-221 T4. Jake Johnson, SAC, 73-73-78-224
T4. Brayden Eriksen, UV, 76-70-78-223
