Dec. 31, 2014

LITCHFIELD PARK, Ariz. — South Carolina sophomore Ben Dietrich shot a 78 (+8), and junior Will Starke carded a 77 (+7) on Wednesday in the final round of the Patriot All-America Invitational on the Gold Course at Wigwam Golf Club.

Dietrich finished the 54-hole event in a tie for 20th with a total of 220 (+10), while Starke closed out the week in a tie for 33rd with a total of 222 (+12). Virginia’s Kyle Kochevar and Arizona’s George Cunningham finished tied atop the leaderboard with a total of 209 (-1). Kochevar defeated Cunningham in a playoff to win the event.

Dietrich and Starke competed against a field that featured 84 collegiate golfers from across the nation this week. Players earning PING All-America honors from the previous season in NCAA Divisions I, II and III plus the NAIA and NJCAA were invited to participate in the Patriot All-America. Additionally, a player from the United States Military, Naval and Air Force Academies were invited, along with Golf Coaches Association of America national award recipients, members of the most recent Palmer Cup Teams, American Junior Golf Association All-Americans and Toyota Junior Golf World Cup participants currently enrolled as college freshmen.

The Wigwam Golf Club, along with the Arizona Golf Association and the Golf Coaches Association of America, partnered with the Folds of Honor Foundation to host the tournament.

To show support for Folds of Honor, each golfer was given a commemorative golf bag with the name of a fallen service member to represent. Dietrich represented Army Sgt. Arthur C. Williams IV, while Starke represented Air Force Staff Sgt. Patrick Lee Griffin Jr.