PENFIELD, N.Y.  Taking on the final round of the Division III Preview, the Methodist men's golf team secured a third–place finish on Monday, while fifth–year senior Aiden Spampinato posted a round–best –7 to surpass the top player on the leaderboard and claim the individual medalist honors.
 
Spampinato entered the day at -10, two strokes behind Emory's Brian Hanson. Hanson sank four birdies along with three bogeys on Monday for a round score of –2, conceding the top spot to Spampinato.  

JUST THE FACTS
Event: NCAA Division III Preview
Course: Midvale Country Club (Par 72)
Top teams: 1 – Emory (270-275-288–833; -31), 2 – Illinois Wesleyan (276-277-292–845; -19), 3 –Methodist (284-275-288–847; -17)
Top individuals: 1 – Aiden Spampinato, Methodist (68-66-65–199; -17), 2 – Brian Hanson, Emory (65-67-70–202; -15), 3 – Justin Chan, Carnegie Mellon  (72-68-66–206; -10)
 
ROUND 3

• The Monarchs all began the day on Hole 3. After scoring par on the initial hole, Spampinato dropped in a bogey on the next. It was his only flaw of the round. From there, he carded birdies on Holes 6 and 7, five birdies on the back nine, and a final birdie on Hole 1.
• Haden Ruby was the next best Monarch on Monday, canceling out three bogeys with four birdies for a –1 on the round. He finished the event at –3, earning a 15th–place finish.
• Suffering his worst round of the tournament, Chase Walts began the day with a double–bogey. It was his first of two on the round, along with four bogeys and one birdie. The senior still finished the tournament tied for 33rd along with freshman teammate Lucas Herring.
• Herring faced similar difficulties to Walts in the third round, also beginning his day with a double–bogey setback. The freshman turned in five bogeys but compensated some with birdies on Holes 8, 12 and 17, finishing at +4 on the round and +3 for the tournament.
• Rounding out the Methodist squad, Davis Linhardt also shot four strokes over par on Monday. The sophomore sank four birdies on the round, which tied Ruby for second most on the team, but he also committed five bogeys and a triple–bogey on the par–4 ninth hole. He ended the tournament at +8 — good enough for 54th place out of 90 golfers.

UP NEXT
The Monarchs are back in action next week, competing at the three–day Gate City Invitational in Greensboro which begins on Sunday, Sept. 29.