Tournament: Southern Invitational
Location: Lake Wort, Fla. (The Falls Club)
Course info: Par 72, 6,757 Yards
VCU Finish: 2^nd of 11 (-12)
Top Ram: Peter Gasperini, 2^nd (-8)
 
The short story: Senior transfer Peter Gasperini is wasting little time establishing himself as one of VCU's top golfers. The former Radford standout fired a final-round 68 and placed second overall as VCU earned runner-up honors at the Southern Invitational this week.
 
FIRST TEE

• Gasperini led five VCU golfers in the top 20 with rounds of 71, 69 and 68 on the way to an 8-under finish. He finished one stroke off the pace of individual medalist Pontus Nyholm of Campbell
• VCU stayed into the mix for a team title until the end. The Rams were 12-under for the 54-hole event, and tied with Mercer for second. Middle Tennessee turned in the lowest round (271) by any team in the tournament Tuesday on the way to the win. The Raiders were 21-under overall. Campbell (-6) and Old Dominion (+4) rounded out the top five
• Gasperini pushed Nyholm to the finish, recording birdies on three of his final six holes. Nyholm, however, carded an 8-under 64, including nine birdies, on the way to the win
• Senior Sachin Kumar and junior Cam Barackman, playing as an individual, each earned a share of 10^th place at 2-under for the Rams. Kumar opened play with a 3-under 69 on Monday
• Senior Kristian Tannum Donaldson (Even) and freshman newcomer Mikkel Antonsen (+1) placed 16^th and 19^th, respectively, for VCU

VCU SCORES
T2-VCU   287-286-279=852
2-Peter Gasperini.  71-69-68=208
T10-Sachin Kumar   69-75-70=214
T16-Kristian Tannum Donaldson   75-69-72=216
T19-Mikkel Antonsen   74-73-70=217
T31-Joe Retford   73-77-71=221
 
Individuals
T10-Cam Barackman   71-73-70=214
T25-Adrian Vagberg   73-72-74=219
T50-Clifford Foster    80-76-75=231
 
INSIDE THE SCORECARD

• Freshman Joe Retford ranked fourth in the field with 16 birdies
• Kumar and Gasperini reach recorded 37 pars

NEXT UP
VCU will head to the ECU Intercollegiate March 22-23 in Greenville, N.C.