WILSON-Thordur Gissurarson led the St. Andrews Presbyterian College golf team with his best score of his senior season to lead the Knights to a ninth place finish out of 15 teams at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Barton Intercollegiate Golf Tournament at Wilson Country Club.

Gissurarson posted his second straight top-five result to start the spring portion of his final season by firing a two-under par 142 total on the Wilson Country Club, the site of the 2010 NCAA Division II Southeast Region (May 3-5). After carding an even-par 72 in the opening round, Gissurarson posted the second lowest round of the tourney on Tuesday with a two-under 70 on par-72 layout that was playing 6,851-yard long.



Gissurarson leads the Royal Blue & White with a 74.2 scoring average in seven tournaments in 2009/10.

The Knights competed two teams in high hopes of earning a bid to this year’s regional with fellow senior Scott Bennett leading the second team with a 72-79—151. Freshman David Clarkson-- playing on the first team -- tied Bennett with a total of 75-76—151. Bennett and Clarkson tied for 33rd overall out of 89 golfers that including individuals from Division I institutions NC State, East Carolina, and Liberty.



A trio of Knights rounded out SAPC’s top team scoring within five strokes of each other. Junior Rafael Garcia bounced back from a first round 85 with a 73 in the final round for 158 total strokes. Freshman Jack Hunter was one shot behind Garcia at 80-79—159 while junior Jack McClelland added an 85-78—163.

St. Andrews was sitting in 11th place overnight, but the team was pin seeking on the second day knocking 15 strokes of its total on Tuesday to climb into the top-10 at ninth place overall. SAPC finished with a score of 312-297—609, which was 29 strokes behind the tournament champions.



The Knights top-five combined for 29 birdies, which was the second highest team total in the 15-team tournament.



No. 21 Flagler College (290-290—580) won the team title by three shots over tournament hosts and No. 18 ranked Barton (293-290—583). The Saints were lead by tournament medalist Patrick Lamb (70-70—140), who won a two-hole playoff against Bulldogs Darren Smith (69-71—140).

The Knights second team finished in 14th place with only four players. Sophomore Eric Hartstein turned in an 81-76—157; senior Matthew Tanea shot an 85-78—163; and junior Joshua McGuire completed play with an 89-82—171.