Walker Cup Teammates Share Medalist Honors at Rod Myers

September 17, 2017 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff

Will Zalatoris (L) and Norman Xiong (R) were co-medalists at the Rod Myers Invitational<br>(Wake Forest and Oregon University photos)

Will Zalatoris and Norman Xiong clear the field by three shots, but Zalatoris adds the team title as Wake Forest wins

DURHAM, NC (September 17, 2017) - Will Zalatoris shot a final-round four-under 68 to catch Norman Xiong and share medalist honors at the Rod Myers Invitational at Duke University Golf Club.

Both players were instrumental in Team USA winning back the Walker Cup last weekend at Los Angeles Country Club, and their momentum continued in Durham, with each player leading their team and posting 12-under 204 totals.

As the day started, Xiong had the individual lead by three shots but Zalatoris' team Wake Forest held the team lead by six. Playing together, both players had a good front nine, with Zalatoris going birdie-birdie-eagle to get within one shot of Xiong at the turn.

A two-shot swing at the par-five 134th gave Zalatoris the lead, but he immediately gave it back on the next hole with a bogey on the 216-yard par three. Three straight pars by each player produced the final result.

Zalatoris closed with a four-under 68, while Xiong has a one-under 71.

They finished three shots ahead of the third-place finisher, Chandler Eaton of Duke, who had three straight rounds of 69 to finish at 9-under 207.

Oregon started the day six shots behind Wake Forest, but Xiong and his teammates could only manage a two-over 290 final round which dropped them to 4th.

The tournament hosts Duke University shot the low final round, a 14-under 274, but could only pick up three of the ten shots they needed on Wake Forest, and had to settle for second at 22-under 842.

Wake Forest wins third straight Rod Myers Invitational title. Zalatoris shares individual title.

INFO: https://t.co/GZMsWBeRMN pic.twitter.com/9kodsYKYUS
— Wake Men's Golf (@WakeMGolf) September 17, 2017

In addition to Zalatoris, Wake Forest was led by Cameron Young who closed with a five-under 67. The Demon Deacons had four players shoot under par on Sunday, and their final-round 277 was good enough for a 29-under 835 total and a seven-shot win.

Vanderbilt (281) finished third at 18-under 846.

DAY ONE REPORT

Fresh off his victory on Team USA at the Walker Cup Will Zalatoris is 8-under and leading the way for Wake Forest as they pace the Rod Myers Invitational hosted by Duke University Golf Club.

The 11th ranked Demon Deacons are 18-under and six-strokes clear No. 9 Oregon who at 12-under is in second place, No. 2 Vanderbilt is third at 11-under, host Duke sits at 8-under in fourth while Louisville is in fifth at 7-under.

Zalatoris, a senior, has combined rounds 69-67 thus far and on Sunday he will try and track down Walker Cup teammate Norman Xiong of Oregon who leads the individual race at 11-under.

In the second round Zalatoris was 2-under through 13 holes before catching fire down the stretch with three consecutive birdies on Nos. 14-16. Overall Zalatoris birdied six-times and bogeyed once during his 5-under 67 day.

Also playing well for Wake Forest are Cameron Young (T11; -3), Paul McBride (T16; -2) and Eric Bae (T21; -1).

Norman Xiong stormed to the lead with a 7-under 65 on Saturday and he will carry a three shot lead into the final round. On Saturday Xiong, a sophomore, did bogey three-times but he was also able to card eight birdies and an eagle on the par-5 11th. His best stretch of golf came on Nos. 10-14, a stretch he played in 5-under.

Rounding out the top-five of the individual standings are Chandler Eaton of Duke in third place at 6-under while Vanderbilt's John Augenstein and Matthias Schmid of Louisville share fourth at 5-under.

Results: Rod Myers Invitational

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
T1	Will Zalatoris	Plano, TX	600	69-67-68=204
T1	Norman Xiong	Canyon Lake, CA	600	68-65-71=204
3	Chandler Eaton	Alpharetta, GA	300	69-69-69=207
T4	Mickey DeMorat	Merritt Island, FL	300	76-64-68=208
T4	Cameron Young	Scarborough, NY	300	69-72-67=208

View full results for Rod Myers Invitational

About the Rod Myers Invitational

Walker Cup Teammates Share Medalist Honors at Rod Myers

54-hole men's college tournament hosted by Duke University and named after former Duke golf coach Rod Myers. Team (best four scores out of five players each round) and individual competitions. Played at The Duke University Golf Club, a Rees Jones des...