Men's golf finishes 11th at Gopher Invitational

The Virginia Tech men’s golf team posted a three-round total of 877 and finished in 11^th place at the Gopher Invitational on Monday afternoon. The two-day event was played at the par 71, 7,368-yard Windsong Farm Golf Club in Independence, Minnesota.

Tech shot an opening round 298 on Sunday morning and followed that with a 289 in the second round, which was suspended on Sunday due to darkness. The Hokies shot a 290 in Monday’s final round.

Mark Lawrence Jr., a junior from Richmond, Virginia, led the Hokies with a 1-under 212 and tied for fifth place individually. He posted rounds of 72-69-71 for the 212 and finished nine strokes behind medalist Ian Holt of Kent State.

Blake Fiest, a junior from Huntersville, North Carolina, tied for 28^th place at 219 and Sarit Suwannarut, a sophomore from Bangkok, Thailand, tied for 46^th at 222. Slade Pickering, a freshman from North West, South Africa, tied for 61^st at 225 and Connor Burgess, a freshman from Lynchburg, Virginia, tied for 69^th at 229.

Arkansas won team honors, posting a 4-under 848, 10 strokes ahead of runner-up Baylor and 11 strokes ahead of Oklahoma. Kent State was fourth at 860, Pepperdine was fifth at 866, Michigan State was sixth at 869 and Arizona State was seventh at 870. Charlotte was eighth at 873, Purdue was ninth at 874 and San Diego State was 10^th at 875, two strokes ahead of the Hokies. Host Minnesota was 12^th at 879, Penn State was 13^th at 883, Iowa was 14^th at 893, New Mexico was 15^th at 896 and St. John’s of Minnesota was 16^th at 943.

The Hokies return to play next Monday and Tuesday, as they look to defend their title at the Janney Invitational. The two-day event is hosted by VCU and is played at the Tuckahoe Creek Course at the Country Club of Virginia.