Gary Koch Final Results

Gary Koch Final Results

GASTONIA, N.C. - Morgan Deneen carded a 1-under par 71 and Luis Ruiz had an even-par round of 72 to help Coastal Carolina move up two spots and finish in a tie for eighth at the Gary Koch Invitational, played at the par 72, 7,042-yard Gaston Country Club.

The Chanticleers shot rounds of 291-298 on Monday and finished with a 293 Tuesday for a 54-hole total of 882. Co-hosts Kentucky and Auburn took the top two spots and distanced themselves from the 13-team field. The 28th-ranked Wildcats shot 14-under par as a team to Tuesday to move from second to first with a score of 35-under par 829. The 11th-ranked Tigers finished 31-under par with a three-round score of 833. Ole Miss, ranked 34th, was a distant third, shooting an 11-under 853, while 17th-ranked Florida State (858 and 45th-ranked Virginia (864) rounded out the top five.

Ruiz tallies his third top 20 finish of the year and, with his 69 in round one with his 72 today, has 13 round of par or better in 27 loops this season. The junior turned in a 2-under par 214 (69-73-72) for 54 holes and tied for 18th. Ruiz had two bogeys, two birdies and 14 pars in the final round to shoot even par.

Deneen had turned in 27 pars over the first 36 holes, tying the most among the 75 golfers. In the final round Tuesday, he added 13 more pars with his 40 over 54 holes being the most in the field. He also had two bogeys and three birdies Tuesday to record his 1-under par 71, his ninth round of par of better this season. Deneen moved up 13 spots on the individual leaderboard to finish in a tie for 46th with a 54-hole score of 223.

Deneen tied teammate Jonathan Goth-Rasmussen, who was playing as an individual, for 46th. Gotth-Rasmussen, who had a hole-in-one in round two on Monday, was even par through 16 holes -- thanks to four birdies and four bogeys -- but a double bogey on his 17th hole led to his 2-over par round of 74 and 54-hole total of 223 (73-76-74).

Daniel Overas was on stroke behind Deneen and Goth-Rasmussen and he finished in a tie for 52nd (73-75-76=224). Thadd Obecny II was one shot behind Overas, shooting 225 (75-76-74) and tying for 54th, States Fort tied for 62nd with a 54-hole total of 230 (74-77-79).

Coastal Carolina will conclude the regular season next week Monday and Tuesday (April 16-17) at the Old Waverly Collegiate in West Point, Miss., an event hosted by Mississippi State.