May 6, 2007

WINTER GARDEN, Fla. - St. Bonaventure capped the 2006-07 season in style with its best-ever finish at the Atlantic 10 Conference Golf Championship, third place out of 12 teams.

Complete Results

The Bonnies posted a team score of 290 (+2) in Sunday's final round and ended with a 54-hole total of 867 on the Panther Lake course at Orange County National Golf Center. Charlotte won its second A-10 title in a row with a score of 824, while Xavier finished second at 833.

St. Bonaventure's previous best finish in the Atlantic 10 Championship was fourth. Last year, the Bonnies placed fifth in a field of 13 teams on the same course.

The Bonnies, who entered the final round in third place by six shots, held off Richmond, which charged with a final round 283 and ended up at 875. George Washington finished fifth at 877 followed by Saint Joseph's (883), Rhode Island (887), Dayton (895), Temple (895), Duquesne (917), Fordham (935) and LaSalle (954).

Matching one-under par 71s by senior Ben Howe and sophomore Brennan Payne and a level par 72 by junior Ryan Swanson led the Bonnies on Sunday. Both Howe and Swanson finished the tournament at one-under par 215, good for a tie for 13th place in the field of 60. Payne finished 21st at 220. Junior Andy Whalen shot 79 in the final round for a total of 222 and a share of 24th place, while freshman Nathan Peck shot a final round 76 and tied for 32nd place at 225.

"To end up third really feels an awful lot like winning because, let's face it, with Charlotte and Xavier so far out in front of the field, we couldn't catch them ... we just wanted to hold off the rest of the teams, and to say we did that makes me so proud of our guys," said St. Bonaventure coach Steve Campbell. "We needed a good final round and we got it, and that is a credit to all five guys. I am especially happy for Ben Howe to conclude his college career on such a high note."