April 15, 2007

PROVIDENCE, RI - Due to a weather forecast that is calling for continued sleet and freezing rain throughout the day, the final round of the New England Division I Golf Championships has been cancelled and Sacred Heart was declared the tournament winner after leading the 17-team field after the first day's action with a 296, five strokes ahead of second place Central Connecticut and Yale at 301. Army (303) and defending champion Binghamton (304) rounded out the top-five teams.

Brown's Larry Haertel defeated Army's Pat Beverly on the first play-off hole early Sunday morning to win the individual title. Replaying the par-four, 402-yard first hole, Haertel wedged his second shot from about 125 yards to within eight feet of the flag and sank the birdie put to defeat Beverly, who two-putted for par. They had both finished yesterday's first round with a one-under par 71.

Sacred Heart sophomore Matt Belizze (North Salem, NY) fired a first round 72 to help lead the Pioneers to the five-stroke lead Saturday afternoon. Belizze tied for third place at the Triggs Memorial Golf Course in Providence, Rhode Island.

Tied for fifth was junior Patrick Fillian (Tinton Falls, NJ) who shot a 73 on day one followed by freshman standout Adam Petrasovic (Tecumseh, Ontario) who shot 74, good for an eighth place tie. The Pioneers fourth golfer was junior Tommy Campbell (Wall, NJ) who's 77 tied for 27th overall.