DAVIE, Fla. – Entering today's final round, No. 20 Carson-Newman had just one golfer in the top eleven. It closed its final chapter of the 2023 season by placing two golfers in the top eleven at the NCAA South/Southeast Regional for the first time in school history.
After making seven birdies in the first two rounds combined, Hayden Hunneke (Chattanooga, Tenn.) was scorching hot in the final round burying eight birdies in the 3-under 68 final round. He made three birdies as part of an even par front nine. The graduate student found plenty of success on the back nine. Hunneke made birdie on the 10th hole, par on the 11th and then preceded to make four birdies in a row on holes 12-15. He was 5-under heading into his final three holes of the day but made bogey on two of them to finish at 3-under. He completed regional play at 2-under par in a tie for 11th.
Entering the day in a tie for third place, Luke Stock (Oxted, England) recorded a 3-over 74 to finish in a tie with Hunneke for the regional. Stock made par on nine of his first eleven holes of the day. His lone birdie in the final round came on the 10th hole. The junior made a trio of bogeys on the back nine that dropped his score to 3-over for the day.
Last season, C-N's Jonathan Nielson and Jackson Tyler each finished tied for 20th. The highest finish from a pair at a regional in program history. This season Hunneke and Stock combine to finish in a tie for 11th.
Jake Mynatt (Knoxville, Tenn.) put together his second 1-over 72 of the tournament in the final round. His two birdies in the final round came on two of the three par 5s. Mynatt finished the day by going 1-under par on his final seven holes. He leaves C-N has its longest-tenured golfer in program history. His 121 rounds competed in are most in school history.
After a birdie-free second round, Antonio Farinella (Knoxville, Tenn.) was able to record a pair in the final round to finish regional play with a 5-over 76. Both birdies came on par 4s, one on each nine. Farinella rattled in nine pars in the round. He finished in a tie for
Elliot MacGregor (Shepperton, Middlesex) concluded regionals with a 6-over 77. The sophomore began his day by making par on his first six holes of the day. 13 pars, four bogeys and one double bogey made up his final round scorecard.
The Eagles recorded their second straight 290 team score to finish regional play at 13-over as a team. C-N finished in 12th place, good for second highest among South Atlantic Conference schools. Randy Wylie's team will miss out on the DII National Championships by just eleven strokes.
West Florida won the regional going 6-under on during the 54-hole event. It will be joined by Barry, North Georgia, Nova Southeastern, Lee and Georgia Southwestern at the DII National Championships.
Palm Beach Atlantic's Andrew Riley took home individual medalist honors going 9-under for the tournament.
With C-N failing to reach the top six, this closes the book on the 2022-23 season.
