MEN'S GOLF FINISHES THIRD IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Monday, October 6

Charleston, S.C.

TBA

James Madison University

2008 Stono Cup

10/7/2008 4:00:00 AM | Men's Golf

CHARLESTON, S.C., October 7, 2008 -- The James Madison University men's golf team continued its solid early-season play as they finished third out of eight teams Tuesday at the 2008 Stono Cup Tournament in Charleston, S.C. The Dukes shot rounds of 288, 300 and 298 to finish with a three-round total of 886, just two strokes behind tournament-champion Stephen S. Austin State.

In a field of 42, Madison placed two golfers in the top-five overall, as junior Michael Meisenzahl (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) finished second, while freshman Chris Wellde (Ellicott City, Md./Centennial) took fourth. Meisenzahl built on his sixth-place finish at the Dukes season-opening tournament, the Sea Trail Invitational, as he shot rounds 70-73-71--214 to finish as JMU's top golfer for the second tournament in a row.

Wellde, playing in JMU's five-man team for the first time, shot a team-low round of 69 in Monday's opening round on his way to his first-career top-five finish. The freshman finished with a 217 after carding rounds of 69, 75 and 73.

Two other freshmen participated in the 42-man field for JMU as Jack Bonifant (Silver Spring, Md./Sherwood) finished tied for 23rd, while Mike Smith (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./Nease) tied for 27th. In making his JMU debut, Bonifant carded rounds of 75, 74 and 79 to finish at 228, while Smith shot rounds of 74, 78 and 77 to score a 229.

Madison's final participant was sophomore Matt Neely (Ashland, Va./Patrick Henry) who finished in 35th. He finished with an 81-78-77--236 for the Dukes.