Titans Miss Top Team Spot by Only Two Strokes – Posted 5/15/15
Erik Diamond, a County College of Morris (CCM) sophomore and a Pompton Lakes resident, was the top performer at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XIX Golf Tournament, winning the championship by shooting a two-day total of 153.
The tournament was held at Black Bear Golf Course in Franklin (Sussex) on Monday, May 11, and Tuesday, May 12. Diamond shot back-to-back rounds of 78 and 75 on the par-72 course to take the victory.
“To my knowledge Erik is the first CCM golfer to win the Region XIX Tournament,” said Jim Chegwidden, Titans head golf coach. “I am so proud of his accomplishment, as I am of how the entire team performed.”
The Titans were just two strokes shy of the winning team score, combining for a 660 to place second. With the second-place finish, the team qualifies for the NJCAA Division III National Championships at Chautauqua Golf Club in Chautauqua, N.Y., from June 1 – June 5. This marks the 10th time in 12 years that CCM has qualified for nationals.
By virtue of his victory, Diamond was named to the All-Region First Team. Sophomore Chris Budd, of Rockaway, who finished third at the Garden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) Tournament a week earlier, shot 82-78 for a two-day total of 160 to place seventh for a spot on the All-Region Second Team. Dominick Burgio, of Lafayette, shot 88-80 for a total of 168 and a 10th-place finish, also garnering him All-Region Second Team recognition. Alex Pederson, of Flanders, and Jon Ostensen, of Rockaway, also helped the Titans to their second-place finish.
The team had previously won the GSAC Tournament at Flanders Valley Golf Course on Monday, May 4, with a score of 351. Last year, the team won the Region XIX Tournament by 27 strokes.
Photo: Erik Diamond, of Pompton Plains, won the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XIX Golf Tournament with a two-day score of 153.