GRIFFIN FINISHES 17TH, NADEAU 44TH AT EASTERN AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
PORTSMOUTH, Va.—Virginia Commonwealth University golfer Lanto Griffin (Blacksburg, Va.) fired his third sub-par round in four days to finish 17th at the 52nd Eastern Amateur Championship Sunday at Elizabeth Manor Golf & Country Club. Griffin, a rising junior, logged a 3-under 67 to finish with a four-day total of 273 (-7).

Griffin’s final round propelled him from 31st to 17th in the final day of competition. Griffin’s VCU teammate, Vincent Nadeau (Penhook, Va.) closed the tournament with a 2-over 72, giving him final score of 280 (E). The 2008 First Team All-CAA honoree finished the tournament in 44th place.

Jude Eustaqio (Quezon City, Philippines) won the event with a four-day total of 260 (-20). Eustaquio shot a final-round 64 (-6) to hold off Eric Onesi (Bear, Del.) by two strokes.
The Eastern Amateur Championship is one of the most prestigious amateur tournaments in the United States. Since the tournament began in 1957, winners have included Ben Crenshaw, Curtis Strange and Arron Oberholser. Numerous other PGA golfers, including Carl Pettersson, Steve Marino, Jim Furyk, and former VCU standout John Rollins, who finished second in 1997, have placed in the top 10. Griffin’s placing is the best finish by a VCU golfer at the Eastern Amateur since Ted Brown finished seventh at the rain-shorted 2002 event.

Nadeau and Griffin were part of a 2008 VCU squad that fared progressively better at each of its spring tournaments, culminated by a second-place finish at the Palisades Intercollegiate in Charlotte, N.C. Nadeau closed the year as an All-CAA and All-Virginia honoree. Last month, Griffin advanced to the semifinals of the Virginia State Golf Association Amateur Championship semifinals. Nadeau and Griffin, both rising juniors, are two of four returning starters expected back on the team for CAA Coach of the Year Matt Ball this fall.