Hawerchuk Closes Out NCAA Division I Men's Golf Northeast Regional with a 74, Ties for 38th

Central Connecticut sophomore Eric Hawerchuk completed the three-day, 54-hole NCAA Division I Men's Golf Northeast Conference Regional at the Galloway National Golf Club in Galloway, NJ with a final round 74. It was his best of the tournament. The Orangeville, Ontario native opened with an 80 and then shot 75 yesterday on the par 71, 7,022 yard course. He totaled a 229 to finish in a tie for 38th out of 74 participants. Hawerchuk was the top finisher from the Northeast Conference, which was also being represented in the 14-team field by Sacred Heart.

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Hawerchuk started on the back nine for the second consecutive day. He parred the first three holes to start the morning, but bogied four of the following six holes to post a 40 on the par 36 back side. Hawerchuk responded with a one under 34 on the front nine. He birdied both par fives, the sixth and ninth holes, while bogeying the par four third. The 34 was his best nine hole total during the three-day event. Hawerchuk averaged a 36.7 on the front nine over the three days. He had two of his five total birdies on the front. Meanwhile, he averaged a 39.7 with three birdies on the back nine.

Alabama redshirt freshman Hunter Hamrick birdied to 17th hole for what proved to be the winning margin. He defeated Tennessee junior David Holmes by one shot. Both shot final round 67s. Hamrick also had rounds of 74 and 71 to make up his 212 three-day total. Kent State sophomore John Hahn, who entered final round action with the lead, finished tied for third with Clemson junior Kyle Stanley and Alabama freshman Bud Cauley at 217. Tennessee freshman Darren Renwick, the leader after opening round play, tied for seventh at 220. Alabama collected the team title. The Crimson Tide shot a final round 286 to rally from a five-stroke deficit. They totaled an 874 (303-285-286). Tennessee, which came into the final round with the lead, took second at 878 (296-287-295). Those two squads will be joined at the NCAA Championships on May 26-30 at the Inverness Club in Toledo, OH by Illinois, Virginia and Wake Forest, the third, fourth and fifth place teams. Stanley will also head to Toledo. He won a playoff over Hahn to earn the final spot, which goes to the top individual finisher not on one of the top-five teams.

Hawerchuk finished the 2008-09 season with a team-best 75.0 stroke average over 26 rounds. In addition to participating as an individual at the NCAA Regional Tournament, he appeared in all 12 events entered by Central Connecticut. Hawerchuk won the Northeast Conference Championships, shooting 68-69-75 on the International Course at ChampionsGate Golf Club in ChampionsGate, FL, to earn his spot in the regional field.