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One shot.

A men's golf season that began for Guilford College with much promise in February, that became overshadowed by the death of a coach and community figure in late March, ended Friday in a dramatic comeback that nearly gave the Quakers a fourth national championship and one in memory of the legendary Jack Jensen.

The Quakers finished the NCAA Division III Men's Golf Championships in second place, one stroke behind Methodist after nearly making up all of an 11-stroke deficit and forcing the Monarchs to win the tournament on the 72nd and final hole in Hershey, Pa.

"There were a lot of tears shed after the round, both in sadness but also in joy," said Korky Kemp, the Greensboro native who guided the team after Jensen's death March 28.

With Jensen's daughter, Laura Thornburg, watching, the tournament came down to Hershey Links' final hole, just moments after play resumed following a weather delay of more than an hour. Guilford would need a bogey from Methodist's top player, Josh Schrader, and a birdie from its best, Scotsman Peter Latimer.

It almost happened. Schrader found trouble around and in a bunker on the par-5, and Latimer reached in two and stood over a 45-foot eagle putt. But his adrenalin helped push the putt 6 feet past, the green faster after the rain than he thought. His birdie effort narrowly missed, and Schrader rolled home a 4-footer for bogey and a championship.

So a classic ending didn't get written for what should still stand as one of this city's most memorable golf stories. This one was about winning for Jack Jensen.

"He would consider them champions for the way they played today," Kemp said.

Latimer agreed.

"Coach would be real proud of us," he said. "The way we played was unbelievable. We didn't lay down, and we kept fighting until the end."

Guilford's deficit to begin the day was significant although not one that couldn't be overcome. But Methodist was ranked No. 1, and its top two players were a combined 12-under in the second and third rounds.

Kemp urged the Quakers to be more aggressive, and a bucket full of birdies rocketed them to 10 under at the turn. Led by Latimer's front-nine 32, that 11-stroke deficit was down to two, nearly wiped out by mid-round.

As the pressure built on both teams, bogeys littered the Guilford and Methodist cards on the back nine. Guilford took the worst of it, and Methodist stretched the lead to nine.

But it still wasn't over. Methodist's Schrader and Trey Howell, the 12-under guys, each bogeyed 13 and 15, and Howell added one at 14 to get Guilford back in contention.

The Quakers charged to within two when a thunderstorm caused a delay. Afterward, the Quakers kept coming, getting key late birdies from captain Brian Creghan, Latimer, Noah Ratner and Dusty Roberts to force the tournament to the final putt.

Guilford's crosstown rival, Greensboro, tied for 11th. Guilford's 283 total, 5 under for the day, was the school's lowest in NCAA play.

Latimer tied for fifth overall at 2 over par. Creghan and Greensboro's Ben Nihart were among those tied for 10th at 6-over.

Contact Eddie Wooten at 373-7093 or eddie.wooten@news-record.com

Team standings

Methodist 307 290 287 293--1,177 +29

Guilford 303 297 295 283--1,178 +30

Huntingdon 309 290 290 292--1,181 +33

St. John's (Minn.) 313 296 291 291--1,191 +43

La Verne 317 299 292 289--1,197 +49

Oglethorpe 307 304 286 304--1,201 +53

Wittenberg 310 306 293 292--1,201 +53

Texas-Tyler 307 309 291 297--1,204 +56

Hope 316 296 298 296--1,206 +58

Skidmore 295 307 304 300--1,206 +58

Greensboro 301 308 298 301--1,208 +60

Wisconsin-Stout 304 313 301 290--1,208 +60

Individual results

Lee, C-Mudd Scripps 69 69 72 70--280 -7

Fedorka, La Verne 74 70 72 67--283 -4

Morris, Centre College 75 70 72 67--284 -3

Schrader, Methodist 78 69 68 72--287 E

Latimer, Guilford 77 72 72 68--289 +2

Blaich, Huntingdon 77 70 72 70--289 +2

Keener, LaGrange 74 75 68 73--290 +3

Mercer, Susquehanna 79 66 74 71--290 +3

Howell, Methodist 77 70 69 75--291 +4

Frazier, Transylvania 82 72 71 68--293 +6

Creghan, Guilford 73 73 76 71--293 +6

Nihart, Greensboro 73 74 72 74--293 +6

Guilford -- Peter Latimer 77 72 72 68--289 +2; Brian Creghan 73 73 76 71--293 +6; Dusty Roberts 75 73 76 73--297 +10; Noah Ratner 78 80 73 71--302 +15; JT Thomas 82 79 74 80--315 +28

Greensboro -- Ben Nihart 73 74 72 74--293 +6; Josh Nichols 74 77 73 77--301 +14; Connor Kennedy 75 79 80 73--307 +20; Michael Elder 79 78 73 77--307 +20; Clint Dillon 79 88 82 83--332 +45