GARRICK PORTEOUS COMING HOME WITH FOND MEMORIES OF FOUR YEARS AT UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE

BY JOHN PAINTER UTsports.com PALO ALTO, Califfornia. -- Turns out it didn't quite matter, but Garrick Porteous' 90-degree lip-out birdie putt on the 18th green last Saturday summed up the University of Tennessee's final round here at the NCAA Stanford Regional. The Vols posted their worst score of the week, 4-over-par 284, and failed by two strokes to advance to the men's NCAA Championship Finals for what would have been a fourth straight season. Tennessee finished at 3-under 837 and were overtaken on the last nine holes by Central Florida (835) for the fifth and final berth. Junior Rick Lamb did his part for Tennessee, shooting 66 for his third straight sub-par round. The junior left-hander tied for fourth overall with a three-day total of 10-under-par 200. But Englishman Porteous (pictured) closed his brilliant University of Tennessee career with a 2-over 72, and Jay Vandeventer and Danny Keddie added 73s to complete the UT scorecard. Brandon Rodgers finished with 79. "We are proud of our team's efforts because they did a really good job following through on what we asked them to do this week," UT head coach Jim Kelson said. "That was encouraging. "Unfortunately, most of the time in our sport it generally comes down to one or two shots for the entire year. That's just the reality. Hopefully, you have such a great team that you can play the last few holes with a little cushion. But the majority of the time that's not going to be the case." Tennessee faltered Saturday after the turn, its four scorers playing the first five holes of the back nine to a combined 9 over par. UT regained four of those strokes over the last four holes but it wasn't enough. California claimed the region championship, finishing at 25-under-par 815. San Diego State (821), UAB (830) and Stanford (832) joined UCF with berths in the NCAA Finals. Pepperdine's Josh Anderson (196) also advanced after winning medalist honors. Garrick Porteous played the front nine Saturday in 34, but then suffered his worst half of the week with a homeward 38. Included was a double-bogey 5 at the 14th hole -- "worst shot I hit all week," he said -- and, of course, the final lip-out at No. 18. "I didn't really play very well today," said Porteous, who tied for 18th place at 2-under 208. "I didn't get it close or hole any putts; I didn't give myself enough chances, anyway." Still, the native of Morpeth, England, leaves the University of Tennessee squad holding nothing but fond memories. "Today wasn't the best way to finish it off but there's nothing I can do about that," he said. "It's been a great opportunity to play at Tennessee. I definitely don't regret coming here; it's been the best thing that's ever happened to me. It's been great." Porteous plans to complete his degree in studio art this fall while interning in the University of Tennessee athletics marketing department.