BEN BRADBURY
WINS NAIA REGIONAL MEDALIST HONORS
For Immediate Release
October 19, 2005
PEORIA,
Ill. --- University of St. Francis senior
Ben Bradbury (Lincoln-Way HS/Mokena,
IL) captured medalist honors and was
named NAIA Region VII Player of the Year
after firing a one-under par, 36-hole total
of 143 at the NAIA Region Championship meet
at Weaver Ridge Golf Club.
Bradbury’s
outstanding performance helped the Saints
to a sixth-place finish in the 10-team field.
USF finished 21 strokes behind champion
St. Ambrose IA.
Bradbury’s effort earned him
a spot in the field at next Spring’s
NAIA Championship to be held May 16-19,
2006, at Prairie Highlands Golf Club in
Olathe, Kan.
"Ben
really played some great golf for us,"
said USF head coach Paul Downey.
"His overall play for the two days
was fantastic."
"His
second shot (on the par 5, 535-yard 18th
hole) was one of the best shots out of the
rough area that I had ever seen under pressure,"
continued Downey."He
just hit a wedge shot 160 yards to the middle
of the green and then two-putted for birdie
to win it."
The
medalist honors add to a long list of accomplishments
for Bradbury, the lone senior on
USF’s roster. He is a three-time first-team
All-Northern Illinois Intercollegiate Golf
Conference selection and was second-team
this year. He earned medalist honors at
the conference championship as a sophomore
and junior. He will be making his first
trip to the national tournament.
In
addition to Bradbury’s performance,
the Saints also got strong efforts from
juniors Martin Bozek (Stagg HS/Hickory
Hills, IL) and Jon Zolecki (Minooka
HS/Channahon, IL). Bozek fired
rounds of 74 and 76 for a two-day, six-over
par total of 150. Zolecki finished
at eight over par 152 with rounds of 80
and 72.
Junior
Grant Garza (Lockport HS/Lockport, IL)
shot a 158 (82-76) and junior Sean Koch
(Shepard HS/Crestwood, IL) posted a
165 (80-85) to round out the Saints’
scoring.
