SAVANNAH, Ga. - USC Aiken capped off the most dominating season in the history of NCAA Division II men's golf with the program's second-straight NCAA Division II National Championship on Friday afternoon. The top-ranked Pacers held off a determined Armstrong Atlantic State team to win by five shots after posting a final round nine-over-par 293. Junior Dane Burkhart won the individual national title by one stroke at five-under-par, the Pacers first-ever NCAA medalist. 

The Pacers are just the eighth school, and the first team since Florida Southern (1999-2000), to repeat as D-II men's golf champions and with no seniors on this year's "starting five", USCA will be the odds on favorite for a three-peat in 2006, which has only been done once before in the 43-year history of the championship. 

The 72-hole event was contested at the 7,026 yard, par 71 Club at Savannah Harbor. Designed by Robert Cupp and Sam Snead, the course is rated as one of the top 100 golf courses in America by Conde Nast Traveler and has been honored as Savannah's Golf Centerpiece by Golf Magazine. Golf Digest gave it a four-star rating for highly recommended places to play and it hosts the CHAMPIONS Tour's Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf tournament. 

In a record setting year, USC Aiken won an amazing 11 of 13 tournaments including two Division I events, the 2005 Peach Belt Conference Championship (the program's sixth), the NCAA Southeast Regional (their fourth-straight), and the 43rd NCAA Division II Championship. The Pacers will carry a five-tournament winning streak into next season. 

For Burkhart, Friday capped a magical season for the Aiken native. En route to winning two tournaments this year and posting 12 top 10 finishes, Burkhart ranked second in Division II in stroke average. His 71.74 average is the lowest in the history of the USCA program, shattering Scott Usher's 2002-03 mark of 73.06. Burkhart becomes the first Pacer to ever finish the season below par in stroke average.
In addition to earning the Outback Steakhouse Arnold Palmer award as the low medalist, the PBC Co-Player of the Year was named to the PING All-America First-Team and was selected as the Division II Player of the Year with the Jack Nicklaus award. 

For the second-straight year, the Pacers opened the 72-hole tournament with their worst round on day one. Battling the heat and windy conditions of the afternoon tee times, the Pacers were tied for eighth at 10-over-par. 

Wednesday's second round was an improved four-over-par 288 highlighted by Burkhart and Scott Brown's three-under-par 68's. After second round play was completed early Thursday morning, the Pacers found themselves in a familiar spot, on top of the leaderboard. A one-under-par 283 gave the team a four-stroke cushion heading into the final round. 

Leading by as many as nine and as few as two throughout Friday's final 18, the Pacers still bested the host AASU Pirates by one shot on the day and finished in front by five. St. Edwards, in their first appearance at the NCAA Championship, placed third, six more shots back at 33-over-par. CSU Bakersfield was fourth at 34-over-par while Hawaii-Hilo rounded out the top five at 37-over-par. 

Even through five holes, Burkhart bogeyed three of four heading into the turn to tee off on 10 at two-over-par. After a bogey five on 11 to fall to three-over-par, and two back of Hawaii-Hilo's Nick Mason in the individual race, Burkhart rebounded to birdie the par five 13th. Then on the par three 17th, Burkhart placed his tee shot within eight feet of the cup and knocked in the putt for the eventual individual race winner as he finished with a one-over-par 72. 

Brown, also the PBC Co-Player of the Year, registered his 11th top 10 finish of the season, tying for 10th at five-over-par for the 72 holes. He too was named to the PING All-America First-Team following the championship as USCA was the only school to place multiple players on the eight-member team. 

An even-par 71 characterized by four birdies and four bogeys kept the North Augusta native in the top 10 at the NCAA Championship for the second-straight year. Three-straight birdies had him at three-under-par through six holes, but three bogeys on the back side including one on 18 prevented the junior from posting red numbers. 

Sophomore Clint Smith carded a four-over-par 75 and finished tied for 20th at nine-over-par. A triple-bogey six on the par three 17th cost the Asheboro, N.C. product some strokes, but he did ease that pain with birdies on 16 and 18. 

Casey Thompson capped an impressive performance with a top 50 finish out of the 105-player field in his first NCAA Championship. Two birdies, four bogeys, and a double bogey on 18 resulted in a final round of four-over-par 75. The freshman from North Augusta tied for 46th at 16-over-par. 

Tyler Rolley struggled through 23 holes of the tournament, playing them at 21-over-par. However, the junior college All-American played the final 49 holes at just five-over-par following a final round 77 to place tied for 85th. 

Playing with three juniors, one sophomore, and one freshman, head coach Michael Carlisle, in his 15th season at USCA, returns a wealth of talent and experience for the 2005-06 season. Competing in the program's 12th NCAA Championship in 14 years as a Division II program, the Pacers now have two national titles (2004, 2005), three runner-up finishes (1995, 1996, 1999), and have finished no less than sixth 10 times.

2005 NCAA DIVISION II CHAMPIONSHIP
THE CLUB AT SAVANNAH HARBOR SAVANNAH, GA.
PAR: 71 YARDAGE: 7,026 DATES: MAY 17-20

TEAM RESULTS 
1 USC Aiken...............................294 288 283 293 1158 +22
2 Armstrong Atlantic State...........289 296 284 294 1163 +27
3 St. Edward's..............................288 299 292 290 1169 +33
4 CSU Bakersfield.........................290 294 296 290 1170 +34
5 Hawaii-Hilo.................................299 291 289 294 1173 +37
6 Rollins........................................294 296 298 286 1174 +38
7 Chico State................................293 294 298 290 1175 +39
8 Lynn..........................................293 296 295 292 1176 +40
9 Western Washington................299 293 296 294 1182 +46
10 Washburn...............................290 298 296 299 1183 +47
11 Delta State..............................304 303 279 298 1185 +49
12 Northern Kentucky..................287 297 302 301 1187 +51
13 Central Oklahoma....................297 305 289 298 1189 +53
14 Columbus State.......................298 298 299 295 1190 +54
15 Georgia College & State..........305 309 288 302 1204 +68
16 Pfeiffer....................................297 304 297 309 1207 +71
17 St. Martin's..............................302 306 298 302 1208 +72
18 Indiana (Pa.)............................297 309 302 304 1212 +76
19 Bryant.....................................306 301 300 311 1218 +82
20 Minnesota St.-Mankato............307 308 310 306 1231 +95

USCA INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (+22) (1st)
Dane Burkhart...............................71 68 68 72 279 -5 (1st)
Scott Brown.................................77 68 73 71 289 +5 (T-10th)
Clint Smith.....................................70 73 75 75 293 +9 (T-20th)
Casey Thompson.........................76 79 70 75 300 +16 (T-46th)
Tyler Rolley...................................83 80 72 77 312 +28 (T-85th)

INDIVIDUAL WINNER
Dane Burkhart, USC Aiken...........71 68 68 72 279 -5 (1st)