Sunday, April 23, 2000

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. -- Led by 2000 Southern Conference Champion Patrick Beste, the East Tennessee State University men's golf team won its third consecutive Conference title, today at the Lexington Golf and Country Club in Lexington, Va. With the win, ETSU advances to the NCAA East Regional in Scranton, Pa., May 18-20.

ETSU trailed by five strokes heading into today's action before shooting a 287 in the final round to claim the Southern Conference Championship by 11 strokes over second-place College of Charleston. The Bucs fired an 883 (296-300-287) for the tournament. Their third-round 287 tied Furman's first round for the lowest team round of the event.

Beste shot a 216 (70-73-73) to win by one stroke over Wofford's William McGirt. Last year's SoCon medalist, ETSU's Chris Wisler, finished tied for fourth (72-76-72--220). Freshman James Johnson earned ETSU's third top-10 finish, tying for seventh with a 221 (78-74-69). Johnson's third-round 69 was the lowest of any player in the field today.

Also competing for ETSU was freshmen Adam Riddering (78-77-73--228/T-17) and Thomas Lee (76-81-78--235/T-39).

Beste is the 11th individual Southern Conference Champion in ETSU history. It was the Bucs' 15th SoCon Championship and their 10th in the past 12 years.