SMCC Men's Golf Places Fourth at NJCAA Division II National Championships

PHOENIX ---

The South Mountain Community College men's golf team finished fourth at the NJCAA Division II Golf Championships May 23-26 at Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, Ind. SMCC tied with Walters State CC (TN) at +28 but lost a playoff for the third overall team finish. Individually, sophomore Damon Vilkauskas placed second at -5, finishing one stroke behind Glendale CC's Warner Beach for individual medalist while earning NJCAA First Team All-American honors. 

SMCC opened with a team score of 281 in the first round to give it a two-stroke lead. However, a second-round 300 pushed them down the leaderboard, and the Cougars recorded team scores of 299 and 300 in the third and final rounds, respectively, to finish at +28 (1,180). Kirkwood CC (IA) won the tournament at +16 (1,168). 

Vilkauskas posted three rounds under par over the event, including a pair of four-under rounds of 68, to finish at -5 (283). He battled back from a second-round 77 and was six-under over the final two rounds to finish one stroke behind Beach for the National Championship. Vilkauskas posted 15 birdies over the 72 holes at the tournament. 

Sophomore Zachary Erskine earned NJCAA Second Team All-American honors after tying for 16th at +8 (296). He recorded scores of 69, 71, 78 and 78 over the four rounds and finished with 12 birdies over the 72 holes. 

Sophomore Ethan Klose and freshman Cole Finch tied for 30th at +13 (301). Klose carded three rounds of 75 and one of 76, while Finch had one round of 70 and three rounds of 77. Klose produced eight birdies, while Finch had 10. 

Freshman Ryan Blair tied for 70th at +25 (313) with rounds of 74, 80, 81 and 78. He recorded six birdies over his 72 holes. 

Vilkauskas and Klose received NJCAA Division II PING First Team All-American honors earlier in the week. Erskine earned PING Second Team All-American, and Finch was a PING Honorable All-American. The four also earned PING All-West Region Team honors.