FARMINGTON, Conn. (Oct. 4) – Nichols College senior Pat Pio (Somers, Conn.) took home individual medalist honors at the 2009 ECAC Division III New England Golf Championship Sunday at the Tunxis Plantation Golf Course. Pio was tied for the lead after the first day and finished two strokes ahead of his nearest competitor at a two-over par 146. As a team, the Bison finished in fifth place with a two-day 627.
Pio finished the first day with an even-par 72 and maintained the lead on the final day with a two-over 74. He shot one of just three even-par rounds at the championship. Pio took home silver medalist honors at the previous two championships.
The Bison combined for a 317 on the opening day of the championship, which was suspended due to inclement weather late in the first round, well after Nichols had completed play. The Bison posted a 310 on the second day to finish 18 strokes back from team champion Endicott. UMass-Dartmouth (615) finished second, followed by Castleton State and Johnson & Wales (619), who tied for third.
First-year Nick Deni (Enfield, Conn.) finished in a three-way tie for second place, following up a first-round 73 with a 75 on the second day of play in his debut at the championship. Shawn Santos (Agawam, Mass.) cut six strokes off his first round score to post an 80 on the second day, finishing in a tie for 42nd place with a two-day 166. Bruce Carter, Jr. (Worcester, Mass.) also rallied for a better second round, finishing one stroke behind in a tie for 44th with a two-day 167 (86, 81). Dan Cafasso (Prospect, Conn.) cut five strokes off his opening round score for a two-round 169 (87, 82) to finish tied for 47th.
Nichols hosts Anna Maria on Wednesday for a B match at noon and travels to the Rhode Island College Fall Invitational on Saturday before hosting the Seventh Annual Bison Invitational at Green Hill Golf Course Sunday.
Full Results
