No. 13 Liberty Claims 2021 ASUN Men's Golf Championship

No. 13 Liberty claimed its first-ever ASUN Championship in record fashion, Tuesday afternoon, posting a winning score of 20-under par 832 (273-281-278).

The Flames recorded the lowest 54-hole team score in ASUN Championship history and won by 13 strokes during their three trips around the University of Georgia Golf Course (par 71, 7,258 yards).

Liberty's Zach Barbin, Kieran Vincent and Jonathan Yaun each finished tied for fourth place with a 4-under par 209 to earn a spot on the ASUN Championship All-Tournament team.

Liberty finished 13 shots clear of No. 3 seed FGCU, who took home runner-up honors with a 7-under par 845 (285-282-278).    

Today's win marks Liberty's first ASUN Conference title in men's golf and the program's sixth NCAA Division I conference title. Liberty won five conference titles during its time as a member of the Big South Conference (2011, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018).

While the Flames still have one more event on their schedule (Ohio State's Robert Kepler Intercollegiate this weekend), Liberty will now await the NCAA Regional announcement.

Liberty, who has advanced to nine of the last 10 NCAA Regionals, will learn which of the six NCAA Regionals sites it will be sent to during the NCAA Regional Selection Show on May 5. The regional field will be announced via a special selection show on the Golf Channel.        

Round Recap – Liberty's Starting Five:
• No. 7 Kieran Vincent – T4 4-under par 209 (68-89-72)
• No. 89 Jonathan Yaun – T4 4-under par 209 (67-71-71)
• Zach Barbin – T4 4-under par 209 (69-72-68)
• Ervin Chang – T7 3-under par 210 (69-74-67)
• No. 42 Alexandre Fuchs – T12 2-over par 215 (74-69-72)

Field Reflections:
• While the Flames carded a 6-under par 278 on Tuesday, the entire nine-team field played the University of Georgia's home course more than three strokes over par (74.07 scoring average).
• During the entire championship event, the ASUN Championship course played at a scoring average of 73.91.
• No. 18 North Florida, the defending conference champions, finished in fourth place with a 9-over par 861 (288-285-288).
• Besides Liberty and FGCU, the only other team to finish under par was No. 4 seed Jacksonville, who closed the event with a 2-under par 850 (280-283-287).
• Eleven players in the 45-man field broke par on Tuesday, including two members of Liberty's five-man starting lineup.
• FGCU's Van Holmgren won individual medalist honors with a score of 9-under par 204 (69-68-67), including birdies on the No. 17 and No. 18 holes to claim the honor.

Birdies and Bogeys – Liberty Team Notes:
• Liberty's winning score of 832 was the Flames' second-lowest 54 team total in program history.
• The Flames dominated the par-5 holes during the ASUN Championship, playing the course's three par-5 holes per round at a combined 19-under par (4.58 scoring average).
• Liberty also paced the field in total pars (179) and birdies (51).
• The Flames recorded two eagles on Monday, with Alexandre Fuchs and Jonathan Yaun each eagling the par-5, No. 12 hole (561 yards).
• Ervin Chang ranked second in the field with 40 pars during the Championship, while Zach Barbin was fourth in the field with 12 birdies.
• Barbin's closing round 3-under par 68 was the senior's lowest career 18-hole total.
• Chang paced Liberty during the final round with a 4-under par 67, his third sub-70 round of the season.
• Kieran Vincent finished tied with Yaun and Barbin for fourth place, giving him six top-10 finishes in six events this season.
• Four of Liberty's five golfers (not including Barbin) were a part of Liberty's lineup at the 2019 NCAA Athens Regional played at this same course (May 13-15).
• The Flames finished the postseason event in fifth place, earning Liberty its second appearance in program history at the NCAA National Championship.

Back on the Course – Liberty's Next Event:
• Robert Kepler Intercollegiate (April 24-25)
• OSU Golf Club – Scarlet Course (Columbus, Ohio)
• Hosted by Ohio State
• Par 71, 7,455 yards