Blue Devils Finish Third at Fresno State Lexus Golf Classic

Tuesday, March 8

Fresno, Calif.

All Day

Duke University

Day Two at Fresno State Lexus Classic

Blue Devils Finish Third at Fresno State Lexus Golf Classic

3/8/2011 8:47:00 PM | Men's Golf

By: Duke Sports Information

FRESNO, CALIF. -- The Duke men's golf team posted a 12-over 372 on Tuesday to finish third at the Fresno State Lexus Golf Classic with a +30, 1110. Sophomore Brinson Paolini (playing as an individual) shot a team-low 215 (-1) to tie for fourth, while sophomore Julian Suri finished tied for eighth with an even-par 216.

No. 7 San Diego State claimed the team title with a three-over 1083 (366-355-362). Pacific posted a +29, 1109 to place second with Duke (+30), UC Irvine (+36) and UC Santa Barbara (+40) rounded out the top 5.

Paolini got off to a rocky start on Tuesday with bogeys on No. 11 and No. 12 to slip to two-over. He rebounded with a birdie on the par 4 16th hole and made the turn at one-over. Paolini bogeyed No. 1 but quickly followed with a birdie on the par 4 second hole. He slipped back to two-over on the day with a bogey on No. 4 before closing with three pars and birdies on No. 5 and No. 7 to post an even-par 72. Paolini now has four career top 5 finishes.

Suri began his day with a double-bogey on the par 4 first hole. He recovered with birdies on No. 2 and No. 3 to get back to even-par. Suri parred the next 10 holes before dropping a stroke with a bogey on No. 14. He closed with four straight pars to finish the tournament at even-par 216 (73-70-73). Suri's eighth place finish gives him four career top 10 finishes and nine top 20s.

Sophomore Tim Gornik shot a one-over 73 on Tuesday to finish tied for 14th with a three-over 219. He opened with seven straight pars before finished the front nine bogey-birdie to make the turn at even-par. Gornik added four more pars and a birdie on the par 4 14th hole to get in red figures. The Slovenia native suffered bogeys on No. 15 and No. 17 to finish one-over par. The tie for 14th is the top finish of Gornik's career.

Wes Roach also finished in the top 20 with a tie for 16th at five-over 221. The Knoxville, Tenn., native made the turn at one-under after eight pars and a birdie on the par 4 seventh hole. Roach moved to two-under with a birdie on No. 10 before running into trouble. He suffered two double-bogeys and two bogeys over the next four holes to slip to four-over. Roach recovered with a birdie on No. 15 and closed with three straight pars for a three-over 75.

Junior Spencer Anderson tied for 33rd with an eight-over 224. The Pacific Palisades, Calif., native had three birdies, nine pars and six bogeys en route to a three-over 75 in the final round.

Freshmen Austin Cody and Yaroslav Merkulov both finished tied for 44th with an 11-over 227. Cody carded one birdie, 12 pars and five bogeys while shooting a four-over 76. Merkulov got off to a slow start with three bogeys over the first four holes. He birdied No. 5 and No. 6 to get back to one-over. Merkulov suffered a triple-bogey on No. 12 before closing with five pars and a birdie on No. 15 for a three-over 75.

Sophomore Adam Sumrall struggled throughout the final round en route to a 10-over 82. He finished tied for 71st at 18-over.

The Blue Devils return to action March 11-14 at the Southern Highlands Collegiate Masters in Las Vegas, Nevada.