PENSACOLA, Fla.  Senior captain Sam Walenz was in a tie for 31st as the Army golf team finished 11th at the Argonaut Invitational, Tuesday at the Pensacola Country Club.

Army shot a 320 during the 18-hole final round at the 6,815-yard, par-72 course and concluded the 54-hole tournament with a 942 (315-307-320).

Virginia won the 11-team event with a three-round total of 865, one stroke in front of Liberty and five ahead of Washington State. Tom Whitney of Air Force shot an even-par 72 on Tuesday to earn medalist honors with a tournament score of 69-66-72207.

Army was greeted by cool temperatures again for its early tee time but the heavy winds of Monday subsided. Walenz posted his third-best finish of the 2008-09 season with a final round 78. That came on the heels of a 74-75 first day and left the senior at 227 for the tournament. Matt Krembel also shot a 78 on Tuesday and finished in a tie for 55th with rounds of 78-80-78236. Austin Rhymer shot an 81 and Adam Renfroe an 83 as the two tied for 65th at 242, Wes Carver finished in a tie for 68th after a final round 87 left him at 245 for the tournament.

“A couple of our guys had bad starts and fought back,” said Army head coach Jimmy Ray Clevenger. “I’m kind of disappointed. I had hoped we would improve our score today from Monday and we didn’t. Being in such a good tournament multiplies how you feel at the end of the day.”

Army will continue its spring season at the First Market Bank Intercollegiate in Williamsburg, Va., March 22-23.

“It’s still early and we have a ways to go,” said Clevenger. “These first three tournaments we are switching around the lineup to get some guys to play a little bit. We are trying to get some experience for our guys and that will pay dividends for us down the road.”

Argonaut Invitational
Team Scores
1 Virginia        292-287-286--865
2 Liberty        284-295-287--866
3 Washington State    296-286-288--870
4 James Madison    287-299-298--884
5 Air Force        295-286-308--889
6 Western Carolina    299-297-298--894
7 West Florida        304-296-296--896
8 Houston Baptist    300-309-291--900
9 Samford        317-289-307--913
10 Ohio        313-291-310--914
11 Army        315-307-320942

11 Army (315-307-320942)
T31 Sam Walenz    74-75-78227
T55 Matt Krembel    78-80-78236
T65 Austin Rhymer    82-79-81242
T65 Adam Renfroe    81-78-83242
T68 Wes Carver    83-75-87245