LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Fairfield University sophomore Alex Taylor shot Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship first place score of 225 (+9) to capture the Individual title and become the second Stag to win the McLeod Trophy, for top individual score, in 16 years. Taylor paced the Fairfield University men’s golf team to a tied second place finish, with three-day score of 934 (318-308-308). The Stags were three strokes shy of team champion Saint Peter’s. The 54-hole event was played at Disney’s Palm Golf Course, a par-72, 7,011-yard course for the men.
Taylor, shot his best score of the weekend in the first round, carding a 73 (+1), good for first place. After the second round of play, he finished in second overall with a score of 77 (+5). Taylor reclaimed first place after carding a 75 (+3) in his final round. He is the second Stag to win the individual crown since teammate Steve Burak shot a 208 (69-71-68) in 2013. Taylor will advance to the NCAA Golf Tournament. The NCAA men's golf selection show will broadcast live on the golf channel at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 5.
Junior Patrick Lynch finished with a final score of 229 (78-73-78) to tie for third overall with Chris Calabro from Manhattan. Junior Ricky Dowling shot an 80 in the final round, to climb up two places since yesterday and tie for 21st overall with a 241 (82-79-80).
Rookie Alex Ferrante posted a pair of 79s in the second and final rounds to card a total 244. Ferrante finished tied for 27th overall with teammate Eric Johnson who also finished with a three-day score of 244 (85-83-76).
Saint Peter’s shot a 931 (315-304-312) to capture the 2014 MAAC Championship team title. Monmouth was tied with the Stags, as the runner-up with a 934 (319-302-313) while Manhattan was a close fourth, posting a 935 (310-317-308). Iona followed in fifth with a final 950 (320-315-315). Siena finished in sixth with a three-day score of 955 (318-320-317) while Canisius followed in seventh with a final 958 (317-320-321). Rounding out the tournament was Rider who placed eighth (959) and Niagara who finished ninth (995).
The men’s golf team has now concluded their 2013-14 campaign. Fairfield competed in ten events this year and earned two fourth place finishes, at the Wagner Spring Invitational and the MU Hawk Invitational. Steve Shiner, Peter Repetto, Joe Patalano, and James Mulligan were all named to the All-MAAC Academic Team last Thursday. To be eligible for the MAAC All-Academic Team, a student-athlete must complete two semesters at their institution and hold a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.20 on a 4.0 scale.
