July 31, 1997

Maryland's Mankulish Wins Tourney

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Gary Mankulish and Keith Unikel, the Nos. 1-2 players on the University of Maryland golf team, and Fresno State sophomore Wes Lovell, from Cockeysville, Md., finished 1-2-3 in the Collegiate Player's Tour tournament at the University of Maryland Golf Course on July 30.

All three had the lead at one time or another during the final round before Mankulish, a second-semester freshman, pulled away with birdies at the last three holes. He finished 65-74-69-208.

Unikel, a sophomore from Potomac, Md., returned 72-68-70-210, followed by Lovell, 72-68-73-213.

Lovell, whose 68 had tied for the low second-round score, was one stroke out of the lead through 12 holes, but did not birdie either of the two remaining par-5 holes. The two Terps opened some daylight on him and the rest of the 53-player field when they birdied both.

Mankulish, 21, who worked for 2 1/2 years after high school before starting college, birdied the 16th from close range to tie Unikel for the lead. At the 17th, Mankulish made it from 30 feet, and Unikel missed from 10.

The leader clinched the win with a seven-foot birdie putt at the last hole after Unikel had made a superb shot from behind the green and made the putt for par.

Sara Levin, a University of North Carolina sophomore, won the 10-player women's division with 78-77-76-231.