Ben Spitz Named Atlantic 10 Golfer Of The Week

April 17, 2006

KINGSTON, R.I. - Rhode Island junior Ben Spitz was named the Atlantic 10 Golfer of the Week, Monday, after winning his second New England Championship individual title in three years and leading the Rams to a second-place finish our of 16 teams at Triggs Memorial Golf Course in Providence, Saturday.

Spitz made up a four-stroke deficit on Binghamton's Jeff Wolniewicz by firing a three-under par 69 in the second round to force a playoff. The twosome started with birdies on the par-four first hole, before moving back over to the par-four ninth. Both reached the green in regulation, but Wolniewicz's 20-foot birdie bid rolled just right of the hole before Spitz converted his attempt from 10-feet away to clinch the victory. Spitz also won the 2004 Championship in a playoff, carding a birdie the first playoff hole.

Binghamton won the team title, defeating the four-time defending champion Rams by seven strokes. Binghamton finished at four-over par, followed by URI (+11), Hartford (+20), Yale (+21) and Brown (+22) to round out the top-five in the field of 16 teams.

Rhode Island won three-straight New England Championships from 1998-2000 and four more from 2002-05. The Rams were forced to miss the 2001 tournament due to a conflict with the Atlantic 10 Championships.