Duke Captures ACC Men's Golf Championship - ACC OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

April 17, 2005

New London, N.C. - Duke fired a six-under-par 285 for a one-over 865 total to capture the 52nd annual ACC Men's Golf Championship at the Old North State Club. This is the Blue Devils' sixth conference title and their first since 1966. Duke was led by junior Ryan Blaum, who fired a final-round five-under 67 for a 10-under 206 total to grab individual medalist honors. Blaum's 67 on the last day was the low round of the tournament.

"You know if you shoot six-under, well that's just really good golf," says Duke head coach Rod Myers. "The course played very hard the first two days because of the wind. Today the wind died down but still the golf course was set up pretty good so you weren't going to see the low scores you have seen in the past. We got real solid play from four guys and that's the big thing in college golf - you can't have them all play badly at the same time."

Georgia Tech was the runner-up in the team race after firing a two-under 286 in the final round for a five-over 869 total. NC State finished third with a final-round even par 288 for an 880 total. Clemson finished fourth with an 883 total while Virginia was fifth at 884, Wake Forest was sixth at 889, Florida State was seventh at 898, North Carolina was eighth at 906, Maryland was ninth at 915 and Virginia Tech placed 10th with a 922 total.

"Coming into the final round with a four-shot lead is kind of unknown territory for me," says Blaum, who is from Coral Gables, Fla. "I really just wanted to direct my attention to the team (race) which helped me take attention off the individual race. If you start thinking about having a four-shot lead, you can get ahead of yourself ."

Chan Song of Georgia Tech was the individual runner-up after firing a four-under 68 in the final round for a two-under 214 total. Brad Tilley of Virginia finished in third place at even par 216 while four players tied for fourth place with 217 totals - Georgia Tech's Roberto Castro, Clemson's Brent Delahoussaye and Jack Ferguson and Duke's Nathan Smith. Two NC State players, Jerry Richardson and Banks Wood, were deadlocked in eighth place with 219 totals.

This marks the first time since 1989 that a team other than Clemson, Georgia Tech or North Carolina has won the conference championship and the first time since 1996 that a team other than Clemson or Georgia Tech has won.

The 54-hole event was played at the Old North State Club at Uwharrie Point for the ninth time in ACC history.