PANAMA CITY, Fla. //  Chip Deegan (Jr / Newport Beach, Calif.) closed out the spring opener with a 3-under par 213 to lead the Navy men’s golf team at the 12-team Watersound Invitational played Monday and Tuesday at the Sharks Tooth Golf Course in Panama City, Fla. The Mids placed 12th among a field that featured 6 teams ranked among the top 25 of the CLIPPD men’s team rankings. Navy improved each round as it shot a 54-hole mark of 892 (301-297-294) to conclude the tournament 28-over.

Deegan finished the tournament tied for 14th, shooting rounds of 72 (E), 70 (-2) and 71 (-1) en route to his 213. The two-year letter winner was the only Navy player to shoot rounds under par for the competition.

Jack Tarzy (Jr / Medford, N.J.), who was Navy’s top place winner in 3 of the 4 fall tournaments, tied for 54th with a 7-over par 223 (74-77-72) and played his best round over the final 18 holes where he was even. Team captain Benjamin Valdez (Sr / Stevenson Ranch, Calif.) and Kaden Ausen (Fr / Puyallup, Wash.) tied for 65th with both players shooting a 12-over par 223. Valdez shot rounds of 80 (+8), 72 (E) and 76 (+4), while Ausen shot a 78 (+6) that was book-ended by a pair of 75s (+3). Rounding out Navy’s five competitors was James Devore (Fr / Porter, Texas), who placed 76th with a 27-over par 243 (83-82-78).

Additionally Ed Scott (Fr / Lemont, Ill.) competed as an individual for the Mids and placed 68th with a 13-over par 229.  He opened with a pair of 79s (+7), but shot turned in a fantastic final round at 1-under.

Tournament Notes

• Co-host and 33rd-ranked Florida State (-26 / 278-287-273=838) shot a 15-under par 273 in the final round to leap past fellow co-host and 24th-ranked Alabama (-17 / 285-277-285=847) to capture the team title by 9 strokes (283-299=582).

• Four Florida State golfers placed inside the top 10, including Luke Clanton who claimed individual medalist honors with his 10-under par 206. He opened the tournament 1 over, but put together back-to-back rounds of -6 and -5 to push to the top of the leader board.

• Alabama had two players tie for second place, including Jones Free who held the early lead. Free (-7 / 70-67-72) and teammate Jonathan Griz (-7 / 70-70-69) finished 3 strokes behind Clanton.

• The tournament was originally scheduled for three days, however, showers were in the forecast for Wednesday, forcing the teams to play 36 holes on Tuesday.

Navy returns to action March 8-10 when it competes at The Hayt, played at the Sawgrass Country Club in Jacksonville, Fla.

### Go Navy ###