The Emory University golf team used a stirring performance during Sunday's final round to capture its Discover DeKalb Emory Spring Invitational title. The 36-hole tourney was played at the 6,510-yard, par-70 Smoke Rise Country Club in nearby Stone Mountain
The No. 3-ranked Eagles fired a season-best score of two-under par 278 to finish with a final mark of 564. No. 2 Huntingdon took home runner-up honors with a 570 (285-285) while the Emory "B" Team claimed third place at 576 (286-290). No. 1 Methodist (294-293—577) and No. 21 Sewanee (298-293—591) rounded out the top five.
Junior Stefano Butti sparked the Emory contingent by tying the school record for low round with a 66. Butti, who fired a three-under par 31 on the front nine, tallied seven birdies on the day. Butti ended the tourney with a 150, tying for 29th out of 83 players. Sophomore Matt Organisak registered Emory's top overall score after carding a two-under par 68 that left him at even-par 140, good for third place. One of the highlights for Organisak was an eagle 2 on the 335-yard, par-4 8th hole. Senior Keenan Hickton and junior Connor Yakubov closed out the scoring for the Eagles with both players turning in two-over 72s, and both finishing at 145, tying for 13th position on the leader board. Though freshman Eric Yiu didn't figure in Sunday's team scoring, he played his way to a fourth-place tie among the leaders with a solid 141 (68-73).
Junior Anthony Muscato paced the "B" Team's showing at the Invitational, compiling a one-over par 141 (71-70) which tied for fourth place. Junior Sean Murphy shot par on Sunday to post a 144, deadlocking him for 10th place. Other "B" Team scores included Noah Apter (70-76—146, t-16th), sophomore Sam Galloway (71-76—147, t-18th) and freshman Davis Hingtgen (76-74—150, t-29th).
Jon Colten Stanaland of Huntingdon was the tourney medalist, closing out the two days with a three-under par 137 (67-70), two strokes better than teammate Mark Connelly (71-68).
Emory placed three players on the all-tournament team – Organisak, Yiu and Muscato while Stanaland, Connelly Larkin Gross of Methodist and Ben Womack of LaGrange also earned berths.
Emory returns to action, April 13-14, when it travels to Rochester, NY, to compete in the Kravetz Invitational.
