Daytona Beach, Fla. - Sophomore Sam Ryder's (Longwood, Fla.) blistering early season play for the Stetson men's golf team paid off on Sunday with his first career individual title, a dominating six-stroke victory at the Bethune-Cookman Fall Invitational. Ryder, who shot 68 in the final round and came in eight under par for the tournament, joins senior Dave McAndrew (Barrington, R.I.) to make back-to-back B-CU Invitational medalist titles for the Hatters. Stetson finished 15 over par on the weekend to take third place.
Ryder broke par in all three rounds at LPGA International Legends Course this weekend and has shot even par or better an astounding 10 times in 12 collegiate rounds this fall. His four under par 68 on Sunday tied Florida Atlantic's Kelly McHugh for low round of the day. Ryder came in at -8 for the weekend, six shots clear of FAU's Ben Silverman and FGCU's Alex Medinis.
Unfortunately for the Hatters, who had designs on their second straight B-CU Invitational team crown, the other members of the team found scoring considerably more difficult. McAndrew, junior Gabe Costa (Tequesta, Fla.) and freshman Adam Kipi (Oviedo, Fla.) all carded five over par 77s as Stetson finished 24 strokes behind team champion FAU and six shots behind runner-up FGCU. McAndrew and Costa tied for 16th place at +7 while Kipi tied for 30th in his college debut. Redshirt freshman Micah Jacobsen (Fernandina Beach, Fla.) struggled to an 86 and tied for 22nd place overall at +18.
Jacksonville finished fourth at 22 over par with host Bethune-Cookman finishing +65 and grabbing fifth place. Savannah State (+101), North Carolina Central (+110), Winston-Salem State (+137), South Carolina State (+182) and Hampton (+192) also competed.
The Hatters conclude the fall season with the annual Stetson/CFSC Fall Invitational, set for next Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 2-3 at Victoria Hills Golf Club in DeLand. The tournament will run concurrently with the Holiday Inn Express Hatter Fall Classic women's event.
