Kelly Earns First Career Victory as Men’s Golf Finishes Third at Lonnie Barton Invitational

3/13/07– Senior Patrick Kelly (Brisbane, Australia) built a commanding lead early and held on late for his first career individual victory on the final day of the Lonnie Barton Invitational in Bluffton, S.C. on Tuesday afternoon. As a team, the Long Island men’s golf team finished in third place at 613, five strokes behind team champion Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Kelly birded three of his first six holes and then birded the 11th and 12th to go five-under par on the day and four under for the tournament. The Australia native limped home, bogeying three of the next four holes and double-bogeying 18, but was able to stave off his competitors en route to a two-stroke victory.

Also having a good day was sophomore Rob Gallagher (Morganton, N.C.), who shot an even-par 72 to finish in a tie for second for the tournament at 147. For Kelly, it was the sixth top-ten finish of his LIU career and the best finish by a Blackbird since former golfer Brad Corcoran won the first Lonnie Barton Invitational in 2005. The men’s team will continue its season at the Fairfield Invitational on March 15-18.