Kielbasa and Prost Just One Over Par as Lions Excel in Delaware Tourney

REHOBOTH BEACH, DE, -- Senior Nathan Kielbasa (Tallahassee, FL) and sophomore Nick Prost (Geneva, Switzerland) played sizzling one-over par golf at the prestigious Rehoboth Beach Invitational Monday, and helped the Columbia golf team to a tie for third place in the 14-school field.

Playing 36 holes in one day over the Kings Creek Country Club's 6615-yard layout, Kielbasa and Nick Prost both shot one-over par 145's to tie for third in the tournament, which was sponsored by George Washington University. Kielbasa stroked 74-71, while Nick Prost shot 73-72. Gregg Cole of Towson also shot a 145.

Columbia's three other golfers didn't fare as well. Sophomore Ali Haji (Karachi, Pakistan) and first-year Darren Bolton (Lynnfield, MA) tied for 54th with 19-over par 163's, and first-year Chris Oosterhuis (McLean, VA) was one shot back in 59th with 85-79-164.

Rutgers won the tournament with a score of 602, edging Iona, which had 603. Columbia and American tied for third with 607, followed by Temple, fifth with 608, and George Washington, sixth with 611. Thomas Blankvoort of GWU, who shot 66-75-141, and Brent Pittman of Rutgers, with 74-70-144, were the two players who finished ahead of Kielbasa and Nick Prost.

The tournament served as preparation for the 2002 Ivy League Championships, which will be held this weekend at Metedeconk National in Jackson, NJ.