Davidson, Skeadas win Waterville Collegiate

WATERVILLE, Ireland – In addition to senior John Skeadas winning the individual title, the Davidson men’s golf team captured the 2012 Waterville Collegiate Classic crown on Tuesday afternoon.

Skeadas, the Wildcats’ first individual medalist since Richard Fountain won the 2011 Southern Conference title, carded his second straight 3-over 75 to finish with a 36-hole total of 150, which was two better than teammate Sam Echikson (76-76 = 152), who came home second.

Davidson (312-306=618) fired a final-round score of 306 on the difficult par-72 Waterville Golf Links layout to claim the team title by eight strokes over Richmond. The Wildcats entered the final day five strokes clear of the Spiders.

Like Echikson, Todd Eckstein (81-76= 157) recorded a 76 Tuesday to finish eighth, while Fountain (80-79=159) and Ralph Blasey (83-80=163) placed 10th and tied for 17th, respectively.

Also competing for the Wildcats as individuals were David Sargent (11th) and Alex Nianouris (T-17th), who both carded rounds of 80 in their fall finale.

Davidson concludes its fall slate with one title, two top-five finishes and four top-10s.

The Wildcats will enjoy a four-month break before opening their spring season at the Wexford Plantation Collegiate in Hilton Head, S.C., Feb. 18-19.

 

Georgia Southern wins AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic

DULUTH, Ga. – The Georgia Southern golf team shot a combined 290 in the third round to win the AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic on Tuesday at Berkeley Hills Country Club.

The Eagles, who came into the day with a 12-shot lead over second-place Georgia State, finished 6-over as a team on the day to win the tournament by seven strokes. Georgia Southern was 7-over for the 54-hole tournament.

It was the Eagles’ first team tournament title since winning the 2011 Southern Conference Championship, the 11th during head coach Larry Mays’ tenure and the 34th in program history.

Mercer was third (+22), and Chattanooga, ranked 54th in the country by Golfweek entering the tournament, took fourth (+29). Winthrop placed fifth (+33), and fifth-ranked Georgia was sixth (+36).

Scott Wolfes shot a 71 Tuesday to finish the tournament 1-under and tie for second, his third straight top-10 finish. Hayden Anderson shot a 74 to finish in a tie for sixth at 2-over for the tourney, the best finish of his career.

Will Evans shot a 72 Tuesday to place 10th at 5-over par, the best finish of his career, and Charlie Martin shot a 75 to tie for 11th at 6-over. Matt Mierzejewski shot a 73 for the second straight round, the third-lowest score of the day for the Eagles.

Wolfes had a chance to win his second tournament of the season after getting an eagle on the par-3 third hole for the second time this week and playing the front nine at 2-under. The sophomore was 3-under after the 12th but had double-bogeys on 13 and 16. He birdied 14 and 18 to finish even for the day.

Mierzejewski played the back nine 1-under for his 73, and Evans posted three birdies and four bogeys for a 72 in his round. Anderson birdied 18 for his 74, and Martin played the back nine at 1-over to salvage his round. The sophomore got off to a tough start by bogeying four of the first five holes on the front nine.

The Eagles are back in action next weekend at the ODU/OBX Intercollegiate at Kilmaric Golf Links in Powells Point, N.C.

 

Chattanooga finishes fourth at AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic

DULUTH, Ga. – Senior Steven Fox shot 3-under par 68 to lead the Chattanooga Mocs men’s golf team to a fourth-place finish at the AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic on Tuesday. Chattanooga played its 54 holes at Berkeley Hills Country Club at 881 as team.

Fox’s performance vaulted him from a tie for fifth to sharing runner-up honors with Kamito Hirai (Winthrop) and Scott Wolfes (Georgia Southern) at minus-1. South Carolina’s Dykes Harbin captured medalist honors shooting 210, 3-under par.

Fox carded par or better scores on 50 of 54 holes with five birdies and a career-high 45 pars against just four bogeys. He began the day six shots off the pace and was two shots back after his fourth birdie of the day on the par-5 15th hole. But a bogey on 16 was followed by pars on 17 and 18 to finish just two strokes back of Harbin.

Two other Mocs claimed top-20 finishes. Chris Robb tied for 11th at plus-5 (219), while Liam Johnston tied for 17th at plus-6 (220). Michael Monroe and Benni Weilguni shot 233 and 235, respectively, to round out the team scoring. Kory Webb shot 240 playing as an individual.

Georgia Southern won the event with a 7-over par score of 859. Georgia State was second at 866, while Mercer finished third at 874. UTC bested No. 7 Georgia by seven shots and South Carolina by eight.

The trio of Webb, Davis Bunn and Alex Ratliff are entered in the Pinetree Intercollegiate. The event is Oct. 22-23 at Pinetree Country Club in Kennesaw, Ga.

The next team event is the final outing of the fall for the Mocs. They travel to the Bridgestone Golf Collegiate on Oct. 27-28 at Grandover East Course in Greensboro, N.C.

 

UNCG finishes ninth at AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic

DULUTH, Ga. – UNCG freshman golfer Taylor Coalson posted the Spartans’ first top-10 finish of the year, placing eighth overall Tuesday at the AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic hosted by Georgia State at the Berkeley Hill Country Club. The Spartans finished ninth in the 16-team field with an 897 score (295-297-305), their lowest team score of the year.

Coalson finished the 54-hole tournament with a 3-over par 216 (72-74-70) to finish six strokes off the lead of South Carolina’s Dykes Harbin. Coalson’s third-round total of 1-under par 70 is the lowest round of his young career and was the fourth-lowest score of the afternoon. He opened his round with a triple-bogey before rallying with five birdies, including a stretch of four straight from holes 13-16, before posting a bogey on No. 17.

Sophomore Alex Ehlert was the Spartans’ second finisher, placing in a tie for 35th place with a 226 (76-74-76). Freshman Luke Haithcock posted a 40^th-place finish with a 227 (72-76-79), while senior Robert Hoadley tallied a 228 (75-73-80) to finish in 47th.

Georgia Southern won the event with a score of 859 (283-286-290) while Georgia State was second with an 866 (282-299-285).

The Spartans return to action Oct. 27-28 as they host their annual fall tournament, the 2012 Bridgestone Golf Collegiate, at Grandover Resort. The 54-hole tournament begins that Saturday with a two-round, 36-hole day before concluding with 18 holes Sunday.

 

Furman ties for 10th at AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic

DULUTH, Ga. – Senior Anthony Aloi (+5) carded a final-round 71 to lead Furman (+54) to a share of 10th place on Tuesday in the AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic at the par-71, 6,679-yard Berkeley Hills Country Club.

The Plainsboro, N.J., native, who began on the round at No. 10, birdied two of his first six holes and shot even-par on the front and back nine to claim a share of 19th place.  Fellow senior Johnny Kyger (+11), who shot even-par on the front nine, fired a 3-over 74 to share 40th place.

Sophomore Josh Chay (+11) recovered from a 10-over 81 in Monday’s afternoon round to post a 3-over 74 on Tuesday.  The Greer, S.C., native was five shots over par through four holes before notching three consecutive birdies at Nos. 15, 16 and 17.

Georgia Southern (+7) cruised to the team title, finishing seven strokes ahead of second-place Georgia State (+14).  Mercer (+22), Chattanooga (+29) and Winthrop (+33) rounded out the top five in the 16-team field.

South Carolina’s Dykes Harbin (-3), who fashioned a first-round 66 on Monday, shot 1-over 72 on Tuesday to claim individual medalist honors by two strokes over Chattanooga’s Steven Fox, Winthrop’s Kamito Hirai and Georgia Southern’s Scott Wolfes.

 

Wofford finishes third at Donald Ross Intercollegiate

MORGANTON, N.C. – The Wofford men’s golf team finished third at the Donald Ross Intercollegiate at the par-70, 6,718 yard Mimosa Hills Golf and Country Club on Tuesday with a team score of 286-288-286=860.

Wofford finished five strokes behind James Madison (855) and six strokes back of tournament winner Lynn (854).  High Point (867) took fourth, while Southern Conference opponent Elon (874) finished in fifth.  Counting Elon, Wofford finished ahead of three SoCon schools.  Western Carolina (877) and Appalachian State (887) were the other two teams.

Brent McKenzie led the Terriers individually with a 68-74-72=214, a new personal 54-hole low, and finished in a new personal-best 11th place.  Cory Taylor (78-68-71=217) and Chandler Brazeal (73-72-72=217) followed as they both finished tied for 20th.  Charles Moore entered the clubhouse tied for 27th after a 71-76-71=218, and George Perkovich finished tied for 49th with a 74-74-76=224.

High Point’s Chase Wilson took the top individual spot on the leaderboard after shooting a 69-68-71=208.

Wofford will compete in it is final tournament of the fall, the Hummingbird Intercollegiate, on Nov. 3-4 in Cashiers, N.C.

 

Elon finishes fifth at Donald Ross Intercollegiate

MORGANTON, N.C. – After play was suspended in round two on Monday, the Elon men's golf team concluded its competition at the Donald Ross Intercollegiate on Tuesday and claimed a fifth-place finish in the 17-team field with a score of 874 (293-286-295).

The Maroon and Gold was led by a pair of 218 scores from Will DiIanni (72-71-75) and John Somers (76-69-73).  That score had the duo tied for 27th in the field of 93 golfers.

In a tie for 34th with a three-round score of 219 was Jack Adkins (72-74-73).  Just three strokes back in a tie for 42nd was Stuart Kaufman.  Kaufman carded a 222 (76-72-74) for the tournament.

Rounding out Elon's five scoring players was Dylan Morgan.  Morgan shot a 225 (73-76-76) over his 36 holes to tie for 51st.

Competing as an individual, Matthew Brady's 215 (67-77-71) placed him in a tie for 14th.

Individual medalist honors went to High Point's Chase Wilson.  Wilson shot a 208 (69-68-71) to claim the title.

Lynn took home the team crown after posting an 854 (290-282-282) to edge out James Madison (281-289-285=855) by one stroke.  Wofford (286-288-286=860) and High Point (292-296-279=867) finished third and fourth, respectively.

Other than Wofford, two more SoCon programs competed in the tournament.  Western Carolina placed seventh with a score of 877 (285-290-302), while host Appalachian State finished 10th with an 887 (291-291-305).

The Phoenix will compete next at the ODU/Outerbanks Collegiate Invitational in Powells Point, N.C., from Oct. 21-23.

 

Western Carolina second at Donald Ross Intercollegiate

MORGANTON, N.C. – Turning in a career-best individual finish on Tuesday, Western Carolina sophomore J.T. Poston finished in third place to pace the Catamounts to a seventh-place team finish at the Donald Ross Intercollegiate, hosted by Appalachian State and held at the par-70, 6,718-yard Mimosa Hills Golf and Country Club.

Poston finished with an even-par 210 for the event, shooting 2-over par 72 over the final 18 holes.

Entering the final day with 31 holes left to play after the second round was suspended on Monday, Poston and the Catamounts stood in fourth place overall at the conclusion of 36 holes. Poston maintained his hold on the second runner-up spot over the final 18. A birdie on the par-5 14th moved him to 1-over for his final round. However, with three holes to play, he bogeyed the par-4 16th for the first time in the event, which left him at 2-over par, dropping him from second place.

All told, Poston, a native of Hickory, N.C., recorded 10 birdies and 10 bogeys with 34 pars, including nine-straight at the end of his second round and first two of his final 18 holes.

On the strength of his WCU career-best single round of 1-under 69 in the second, senior Steven Smith rallied for the best overall finish of his Catamount career, placing in a tie for 11th. The Kirknewton, Scotland, native countered four bogeys with five birdies in his second round before posting 16  pars and just two bogeys over his final round on Tuesday afternoon to shoot 214.

Catamount redshirt senior Kyle Wilson fired a 9-over 79 over the final 18 to finish tied for 51st overall at 225, while redshirt sophomore Collin Witiak matched Wilson’s final-round 79, shooting 230 to finish tied for 65th overall. Witiak fired a season-low round of 2-over 72 in the opening round.

Rounding out WCU’s side was senior Trey White, who finished in a tie for 76th in the final standings with a three-round score of 235.

Second after the completion of the second 18 holes on Tuesday morning, Lynn College rallied to win the team championship by one stroke over first-round leader James Madison. Wofford finished third, six strokes off the pace at 860, followed by High Point (867) and Elon (874) to round out the top five teams.

Tournament host Appalachian State finished 10th overall in the 17-team field.

High Point’s Chase Wilson claimed individual medalist honors, finishing with a 2-under 208 after firing 1-over 71 on Tuesday. Wilson edged runner-up Casey Komline (209) of tournament-host Appalachian State by a stroke, with Poston two strokes off the pace in third at 210.

In its final tune-up before hosting the Hummingbird Intercollegiate at the Country Club of Sapphire Valley on Nov. 3-4, Western Carolina travels to the Wolfpack Intercollegiate this weekend in Raleigh, N.C.

 

Appalachian State 10th at Donald Ross Intercollegiate

MORGANTON, N.C. – Appalachian State’s men’s golf team finished 10th overall at the Donald Ross Intercollegiate on Tuesday.

Junior Casey Komline paced the Mountaineers as he finished second overall after leading most of day two. Komline carded a 68-67-74=209 (+4), while Josh Nichols came in second for Appalachian and tied for 39th overall, shooting a 70-74-77=221 (+11).

Daniel Walsh finish tied for 59th overall and came in third for the Black and Gold with a 74-76-78=228 (+18), while Jay Brown came in fourth and tied for 62nd overall, carding a 79-74-76=229 (+19) for three rounds.

Andrew Furr rounded out the scoring for Appalachian as he finished the tournament with an 81-82-81=244 (+34).

Lynn took home the first-place finish, carding a 290-282-282=854 behind Daniel Young, who finished fourth overall, while James Madison finished second with a 281-289-285=855, behind Trey Smith, who took home the individual win of the invitational. Wofford College finished first for all SoCon schools as it took home the third-place finish.

Appalachian State will be back in action on Friday when it travels to Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., for the Mission Inn Intercollegiate. The three-day event will conclude on Sunday.

 

Samford finish ninth at Jerry Pate National Collegiate Invitational

VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. – The Samford University men’s golf team turned in a final-round score of 294 on Tuesday as the Bulldogs vaulted two positions to finish ninth at the talent-laden 2012 Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate hosted by the University of Alabama at the Old Overton Club.

Samford’s third-round score was its best of the 54-hole tournament as the Bulldogs concluded the competition with a final team mark of 897 (306-297-294). The Bulldogs finished just three strokes behind eighth-place South Alabama and three strokes ahead of Middle Tennessee. On Tuesday, Samford jumped past both Middle Tennessee and Minnesota.

The Bulldogs’ Drew Aimone carded a stellar par 70 in the final round of play Tuesday and concluded the two-day competition with a 54-hole score of 219 (75-74-70). For his efforts, Samford’s senior native of Savannah, Ga., earned a 15th-place finish.

Zach Hughes, the Bulldogs’ highly touted sophomore from Mobile, Ala., also registered a top-20 finish Tuesday. After shooting a weekend-best score of 72 in the second round, Hughes followed up that performance with a solid 74 and finished the tournament 19th in the final individual standings. He concluded the 54-hole event with a total score of 220 (74-72-74).

Senior Bill Nabors posted his best score of the competition Tuesday as he turned in a third-round tally of 71. The Bulldogs’ native of Decatur, Ga., finished with a three-round total of 226 (77-78-71), while fellow seniors Casey O’Toole and Gabe Hyde rounded out Samford’s scoring with marks of 234 (82-73-79) and 241 (80-78-83), respectively.

The 2012 Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate featured a field of 12 teams. Due to darkness, the teams only finished one round of play Monday, while the second-and-third rounds of competition were completed Tuesday.

Host school Alabama found itself on the top of the team leaderboard Tuesday after trailing for the previous two rounds. Shooting a team total of 2-over 282, Alabama defeated runner-up Florida by four strokes. Auburn finished third with a 27-over 867, while UNLV took home fourth with a 28-over-par 868. Rounding out the top five, Clemson carded a 54-hole total of 30-over 870.

In the process, Alabama’s Justin Thomas wrapped up his fifth career win, tying the school record for career wins. Thomas finished off Monday’s shortened second round on Tuesday and recorded a 6-under-par 64, including an eagle on the par-four 15th. Thomas’s back nine stretch of birdie-eagle-birdie on the 14th, 15th and 16th, propelled him to the individual crown. The native of Goshen, Ky., followed up his 64 with an even-par 70 on the final round en route to wrapping up the individual crown, by one stroke over Auburn’s Michael Johnson, with a 2-under 208.

The Samford University men’s golf team will next be in action Monday and Tuesday at the 2012 Kennesaw State Classic, which will be held at the Pinetree Country Club in Kennesaw, Ga.