Merzbacher Shoots 65, Collects Fourth Top-10 Finish

March 06, 2016 | Men's Golf

March 6, 2016

TEAM RESULTS | PLAYER RESULTS

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Senior Chad Merzbacher's 7-under 65 in the final round of the Desert Mountain Intercollegiate Sunday pushed him to his fourth top-10 finish of the season.

Team Scores

1. Texas A&M: 277-287-283--847 (-17)
2. Michigan: 278-284-289--851 (-13)
3. Tennessee: 282-292-282--856 (-8)
4. Purdue: 288-289-280--857 (-7)
5. Pepperdine: 286-283-294--863 (-1)
6. San Francisco: 294-301-276--871 (+7)
7. Santa Clara: 295-299-286--880 (+16)
8. St. Mary's (Ca.): 285-303-292--881 (+17)
T9. Marquette: 295-297-294--886 (+22)
T9. Nebraska: 290-300-296--886 (+22)
11. Pacific: 294-299-299--892 (+28)
12. South Dakota State: 294-314-304--912 (+48)

Individual Scores

1. Ben Crancer (Texas A&M): 69-67-72--208 (-8)
2. Brian Carlson (Purdue): 72-72-65--209 (-7)
T3. Chandler Phillips (Texas A&M): 71-73-66--210 (-6)
T3. Nick Nelson (Marquette): 73-72-65--210 (-6)
T5. Chad Merzbacher (Tennessee): 73-73-65--211 (-5)

Tennessee Scores

T5. Chad Merzbacher: 73-73-65--211 (-5)
T10. Nicklas Mattner: 71-70-73--214 (-2)
T16. Lorenzo Scalise: 67-75-73--215 (-1)
T21. Jack Smith (I): 72-71-74--217 (+1)
T32. Mike Nagy: 76-74-71--221 (+5)
T35. Juan Carlos Serrano: 71-76-75--222 (+6)

The 65 marks a season-low individual round for Merzbacher, who now has back-to-back top-10 finishes for the second time in his career and first in 2015-16. Merzbacher carded six birdies and eagled the par-5 16th in the final round and finished the tournament tied for fifth at 5-under.

The Dublin, Ohio, native has posted three consecutive top-20 finishes and knew he was due for a low round.

"I have been knocking on the door these past few events," Merzbacher said. "I felt good about my game, but nothing was falling. Today, I just felt good all over the ball and made it happen."

Coming off a performance that earned him SEC Freshman of the Week, Nicklas Mattner recorded his first collegiate top-10 finish with a 2-under 214 for the tournament.

The freshman held a tie for the lead on the front nine after he birdied three holes to reach 6-under for the tournament. Mattner finished with a 1-over 73 in the final round.

Sophomore Lorenzo Scalise finished the tournament in a tie for 16th after shooting a 1-under 215. The Italian birdied three on the day en route to a 1-over 73. Scalise surged near the top of the leaderboard after posting a 67 in the opening round.

As a team, the Volunteers carded two 6-under rounds and finished in third, tying their season best result. The Big Orange also placed third at the Bank of Tennessee Invitational Oct. 9-11, 2015.

Jack Smith, who competed as an individual, finished in a tie for 21st at 1-over. The tie for 21st matches his season-best result.

Senior Michael Nagy shot a 5-over 221 and tied for 32nd, while Juan Carlos Serrano Guevara finished 6-over and tied for 35th.

Fellow SEC member Texas A&M took the team title, going 17-under for the tournament. Texas A&M golfer Ben Crancer claimed the individual title with an 8-under.

In the Clubhouse

Chad Merzbacher finished in the top 10 for the fourth time this season and 12th time in his career. His tie for fifth place marks his best result of the season.

Merzbacher's 65 is tied for the best individual round by any Vol this season. Lorenzo Scalise carded a 65 at the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate Oct. 10, 2015.

Nicklas Mattner posted his first career top-10 finish. He has sat in a tournament field's top 10 following four of his last six rounds.

Three Vols finished in the top 20 for the first time this season.

The Orange and White carded four eagles in the tournament. Nagy recorded two in the second round, while Mattner and Merzbacher added one apiece.