October 7, 2008

RAMS TIE FOR SEVENTH AT FIGHTING IRISH GRIDIRON CLASSIC
Campos moves into top 5 with round of 69

Complete Scores

SOUTH BEND, Ind.—Virginia Commonwealth University junior Rafael Campos shot a 1-under-par 69 Tuesday to move into a tie for fifth place in the final individual standings at the Fighting Irish Gridiron Classic.  The event was played on the 7,023-yard Warren Golf Course.

Campos’ round was the Rams’ only under-par round of the 54-hole tournament.   He shot 76-70-69 to finish at 5-over par 215.  That was five shots behind individual champion Randy Hutchison of Michigan State.  Hutchison also shot a 69 Tuesday. He and Campos were two of only five players to post under-par scores in the final round.    There were only eight for the entire tournament.

VCU finished tied for seventh with Iowa in the team competition with an aggregate of 52-over-par 892.  Team champion Arkansas was 23-over-par.  That was four better than team runner-up UC Davis.

VCU juniors Vincent Nadeau and Lanto Griffin finished tied for 27 th   at 13-over-par.  Nadeau had a 72 in the final round, continuing his improvement during the event.  He shot 77-74 in the first two rounds.  Griffin shot 75 in the final round.  This is the first time in four fall tournaments he’s finished out of the top five. Sophomore Mark Jargren finished 74 th at 26-over-par.  Freshman Chase Sargent was tied for 76 th at 28-over par.

“The wind blew. It was cold this morning when we teed off.  The greens were really, really fast and they had a ton of slope to them,” VCU coach Matt Ball said.  “Rafa did a very nice job. He birdied his first two, was putting himself in good positions.  He putted a little better than he had been in a while.

“As a team, we got a little better every day.  It’s good to see another player have a top 5 finish.   We can’t expect Lanto to be right on it every time so it is nice to see somebody else step in and have a good finish.”

Campos returned to Richmond on Tuesday night but he didn’t get to stay long.  He is scheduled to depart early Wednesday for Australia to participate in the World Amateur team championships.  He’ll represent Puerto Rico in the event that includes three players per country.  

The Rams don’t compete again until the Landfall Intercollegiate in Wilmington, N.C., Oct. 31-Nov. 2.  That will be their final competition of the fall season.