KEENE, N.H. – The Felician University men's golf team shot two of the four best rounds in the 12-year history of its program at the Franklin Pierce University Fall Invitational on Sunday and Monday, but had to settle for 10th place out of 11 schools in the low-scoring event staged at Bretwood Golf Course. Felician was playing its first tournament of the 2016-17 season.
At an NCAA golf tournament, each school is allowed to enter a line-up of five players, and its top four scores constitute its team total. The Golden Falcons shot 306 on Sunday, their second-best score ever, but found themselves in ninth place. Felician then dropped one slot after following up with 309 on Monday.
Felician was led by junior Chris Bekefi (Toms River, N.J./Toms River North), who set career bests for 18 and 36 holes. Bekefi shot 73 on Sunday on the par-72, 6,976-yard course, and came back with 75 on Monday for a +4 total of 148. He tied for 17th place out of 60 entrants.
Golden Falcon freshman Jake Storako (Laurel Springs, N.J./Highland Regional) enjoyed a solid collegiate debut, shooting 75-74-149. He tied for 22nd place. Sophomore Justin Keiser (Bellport, N.Y./Bellport) tied for 31st with 76-76-152.
Rounding out the Golden Falcon line-up were junior Andrew Capone (Denville, N.J./Parsippany Hills) (59th, 82-84-166) and sophomore transfer Hunter Thompson (Waymart, Pa./Honesdale) (60th, 86-91-177).
St. Thomas Aquinas College easily won the tournament, shooting 276 each day to go 24-under-par for the event. Matt Paradise of runner-up Southern New Hampshire University was the medalist with 66-69-135 (-9).
