Kissimmee, Fla. – Senior John Clare (Camillus, N.Y./West Genesee) tied for third place to lead the Le Moyne College men's golf team to its best finish in the program's history by placing 13th at the 54-hole NCAA Division II Championships held Monday through Wednesday at the par-70, 7054-yard Reunion Resort Watson Course.
 
The Dolphins recorded a 54-hole score of 893 to place 13th, the program's best finish by five places (18th last year). The 893 is the program's second-best 54-hole score over the last 14 seasons and the best since an 882 at the 2014 NCAA Atlantic/East Regional. The Dolphins opened play at the Championship by registering a three-over par 283 in the first round to land in sixth place, the highest the Dolphins have been after 18 holes in four all-time trips to the Championships (2007, '15, '16, '17). The 283 is tied for the best round by the Dolphins over the last 14 seasons. The Dolphins also turned in a 283 in the first round of the Dowling September Shootout on September 18, 2015. The team's previous best round at the Championships, a 297, came in the third round last year. The Dolphins followed with a 296 in the second round to slip two spots to eighth, the program's highest placement after 36 holes. The Dolphins closed out the Championship by recording a 314 to dip into 13th place. In Le Moyne's first three trips to the Championship, the Dolphins finished in 20th place in 2007 and 2015 and 18th last year.
 
The top eight teams from the three days advanced to the match play portion of the championship. Barry University claimed the top seed after recording a score of 10-over par 850 (274-278-298). Florida Southern finished second (one spot higher than last year) with a 13-over 853 (280-282-291), while West Florida (276-280-298) was one shot back in third. Lynn University (294-282-290) finished in fourth place with an 866, while Florida Tech recorded an 868 (277-284-307) to earn a first-round matchup against the Fighting Knights. Newberry College captured the sixth seed with an 874 (282-293-299), while Ferris State will be the seventh seed after posting an 880 (286-289-305). Arkansas Tech University recorded the best score of the final day (289) to claim the eighth spot by one shot with an 881 (299-293-289). West Florida's Chandler Blanchet, who tied for 16th place last year, captured the individual national championship by one shot by registering the only under par score of the week, 209, off rounds of 70, 66 and 73.
 
Clare, who tied for eighth place at last year's Championship, recorded the best NCAA Championships performance by a Dolphin in the program's history with his tie for third place after carding a one-over par 211. His eighth-place finish last year was the previous best individual Championship finish. The 211 is the second-best score (to last year's 209) by a Dolphin in at least 14 years. Clare, who recorded team-highs of nine birdies and 36 pars over the 54 holes, opened the Championship with a four-under par 66, which included five birdies, to land in second place. The 66 is the best round by a Dolphin over the last 14 seasons. Monday marked the sixth time in his collegiate career that he recorded a round of four-under par and the third time he's done it in the first round of an event (Navy Fall Classic and Dowling September Shootout five days apart in September 2015). He carded an even-par 70 in the second round to dip into a three-way tie for third place. He remained in a three-way tie for third place following the third round, albeit with two different competitors, after turning in a 75.
 
Freshman Jonathan Petrin (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) registered a 223 to finish in a nine-way tie for 45th place. Petrin, who posted four birdies and 34 pars on the week, opened the week with a two-over par 72, which included two birdies and 13 pars, to land in a 13-way tie for 35th place after the first round. He carded another 72, which included two more birdies, on Tuesday to move up into an 11-way tie for 29th place at 144. He closed out his first season on the Heights with a 79 to slip into the tie for 45th.
 
Freshman Nicholas Barney (Apalachin, N.Y./Vestal) wrapped up his first collegiate season by recording a 229, which included five birdies and 26 pars, to place in a seven-way tie for 80th. On Monday, he recorded a 75, his third-best score of the year, to land in a 10-way tie for 68th place. He followed with a 76, tied for his fourth-best score the year, to dip into a nine-way tie for 76th place. He recorded a 78 in the third round to slip to his final spot in the standings.
 
Junior Joe Petrin (Cicero, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse) placed in a three-way tie for 87th with a 230, 12 places and three shots better than a year ago. He opened the week with the second-best score of his 72-round career, an even-par 70, which included two birdies and 14 pars, to land in a 10-way tie for 17th place. He followed with a 78, which included one birdie, to drop into a nine-way tie for 55th place. He completed his third season as a Dolphin with an 82 on Wednesday.
 
Junior Daniel Thomas (Manlius, N.Y./Fayetteville-Manlius) rounded out Le Moyne's competitors by recording a 240, which included 33 pars. He was in a 12-way tie for 78th place following a 76 in the first round, dipped into the four-way for 95th after a 79 in the second round and closed with an 85 to finish in 105th.