Eastern men’s golf team finished in a tie for seventh place out of 10 teams in the three-day Ohio Valley Conference Championships.

The Panthers shot a team total of 934 (+70), which tied them with Samford in seventh place. Eastern Kentucky won the event with a team score of 874 at the Paducah Country Club in Paducah, Ky.

The Panthers shot a 311 in the final round after shooting a 318 in the first round and a 305 in round two.

Senior Mike Imburgia was the best at the tournament for the Panthers, shooting a 229 (+13) – good enough for a tie for 13th place for the tournament.

Imburgia was eight over after the first round of the tournament, shooting an 80 on day one, but a fantastic effort in the second round with an even par of 72 shot his name up the leader board.

Imburgia said he was content with how he played in the championship.

“Overall, I didn’t play too bad,” he said. “I wish I could have played a little better, but as far as that being the last tournament I’ll ever play in college, I am content.”

Eastern was too talented of a team to be satisfied with a seventh place finish, he said.

“It was unfortunate that we were not able to have a tournament where all four guys were clicking at one time,” Imburgia said.

Sophomore Matt Bird finished in a tie for 22nd place with his three-day score of 233, after shooting the Panther’s lowest score of Tuesday with a 76.

“The last two rounds I played well,” Bird said. “It was unfortunate because the first day I was hitting it everywhere. At least I played well enough the last two days to keep up.”

Bird finished the final two days with rounds of 76 after shooting an 81 in the first round of the tournament.

Senior Matt Imburgia finished in a tie for 29th place after he finished the tournament with a three-day score of 235.

Imburgia was the Panther’s low man after a first-round 76, but he could not continue the pace, shooting 80 on the second day and a 79 on Tuesday.

“After the first day, I did not have any momentum,” Imburgia said. “My ball-striking (Tuesday) was the best of the tournament. Unfortunately, I had three three-putts early on the first three holes.”

Imburgia said he was happy with his team’s performance.

“I think a lot of us battled when teams got tough, and we continued to hang in there throughout,” he said.

Freshman Francisco Cherizola finished with a score of 237. His low round of the tournament was a 77 on Monday.

Murray State sophomore Nick Newcomb won the tournament after shooting even par through three rounds. Newcomb moved up the leaderboard from a tie for fourth in the final round. Newcomb held off Eastern Kentucky senior Phil Hendrickson and Austin Peay senior Grant Leaver, both of whom finished one stroke behind with a three-day score of 217.

Dan Cusack can be reached at 581-7944 or at dscusack@eiu.edu.