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American Finishes Second at Mount St. Mary's/Mason-Dixon Challenge

Nihill Leads Eagles With Fourth-Place Finish

Mark Nihill tied for fourth at the Mason-Dixon Challenge.

April 17, 2001

GETTYSBURG, Pa. - Mark Nihill shot a three-over 111 over 27 holes, leading the American University golf team to a second-place finish at the Mount St. Mary's/Mason-Dixon Challenge on Monday at The Links at Gettysburg.

Eric Couture of St. Francis (PA) won the tournament in the second playoff hole, but Towson's vanquished Josh Upton led his squad to the team title of the inaugural Mason-Dixon Challenge Cup, seven strokes better than American's team effort.

Towson won the team title with a 454, seven strokes better than American's 461. Central Connecticut State shot 462, St. Francis carded 463, and Loyola was fifth at 464. The host Mountaineers and Manhattan tied for sixth at 473.

American stood fourth as a team (314) after the first 18 holes, but came back with a tournament-best 147 in the second-round nine to jump into second place. Nihill fired a 33 in the abbreviated second round, while Wes Cupp carded a 37. Cupp tied for ninth overall, shooting a combined 115 on the day.

Towson grabbed a five-shot lead over St. Francis (Pa.) following the 18-hole first round as Upton carded a two-under-par 70. Couture tied the Mount's Josh Leibfreid for second place at even par through the first round. In the nine-hole second round, Couture's 37 edged Leibfreid's 38 and tied him with Upton, who shot 39.

Upton and Couture both finished with a 109, and advanced to the playoff. Both players birdied the 10th hole, then Couture made a par on 11 to claim victory over Upton. Leibfreid was third at 110, while Chris Damiano of Manhattan, Bob Myles of Central Connecticut State, and Nihill of American tied at 111.

Rounding out American's top finishers were Raul Ford (T-18), Seth Kaplan (T-21), and David Stone (T-27).

American concludes its 2001 season when it takes part in the Scotty Duncan Tournament, hosted by the University of Delaware, Thursday-Saturday, Apr. 19-21.