PETERSBURG, Va. – Catawba men's golf opened the 2023 fall season with a tied-for-seventh finish at the Saint Leo Griffin Invitational as play concluded on Tuesday, with a final mark of 22-over. Freshman Paul Esnault led the way for Catawba over the two-day stretch, finishing tied-for-sixth at even, 216 thanks to a solid set of opening and closing rounds.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- As a team, Catawba shot 12-over in the third round, following a Monday showing that featured a three-over par performance in the second round and a seven-over opening round
- Esnault was the best of the bunch, steadily climbing his way up the ranks on Tuesday after a strong overall performance that saw him finish tied-for-sixth at even-par, 216. Esnault came out of the gates hot at 1-under, as one of just eight players to score 71 or better in the opening round. While he'd drop a little during the second round, with a 1-over, 73, performance, Esnault would recover nicely during the third round the next day. With an even-par, 72, he would pull back to even overall for the Invitational and clinch his first Top-10 finish.
- Chad Coburn, who transferred to Catawba after playing his freshman season at Central Methodist University, would finish the third and final round tied-for-31st at five-over, 221. After opening with a 76 in the first round, Coburn put together a strong 1-under, 71 to lead Catawba in the second round. Though he would lose momentum in the final round with a 2-over, 74, Coburn would still finish comfortably in the top half.
- Carter Connor ended Tuesday with a tied-for-35th final ledger, at 6-over, 222. The freshman was solid in the opening frame at 1-over, 73, and while he lost some ground in the second round at 3-over, 75, Connor was able to bounce back with a 2-over, 74 performance in the third round.
- Ryan Masterton wrapped up on Tuesday in a tie for 55th at 12-over, 228. While Masterton ended both the first and third rounds at 6-over, with a pair of 78s, he was able to put together a strong second round by shooting even at 72 strokes.
- Luke Nelson, the only junior starting for Catawba, finished individually in 69th at 16-over, 232. He would open on Monday with a 5-over, 77 and a 4-over, 76 in the first two rounds.
- Tanner Frye would also make his debut, finishing 46-over, 262 in 85th place.
NOTES
- Catawba's lineup featured five newcomers, four of whom were freshmen making their collegiate debut.
- Connor was one of 19 players to score an Eagle or better, with his coming on the 11th hole of the opening round in just three strokes. He also finished tied-for-third in Pars, with 39.
- Esnault was second in Birdies for Catawba, with 35 of his own. He also continued to fill the stat sheet with 11 birdies, also good for second on the team.
- Coburn led Catawba in Birdies and also finished tied-for-2nd overall with 13, one of three players to do so and just missing out on 14, which would've tied for the lead.
UP NEXT
- Catawba is back in action in two weeks, hosting the Richard Rendleman Invitational at CC of Salisbury Oct. 1 and 2.
