UNCG finishes third at Tar Heel Intercollegiate
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The UNCG men’s golf team posted a third-place finish at the Tar Heel Intercollegiate held at Finley Golf Course on Sunday. The Spartans posted an 873 (293-289-291) in the three-round, 54-hole event, which opened the 2013-14 season.
UNCG improved 10 places and 26 strokes compared to last season at the same outing at Finley Golf Couse. The Spartans’ 54-hole score of 873 is the lowest team score for a three-round event since the 2011-12 season, when they recorded an 872 to finish second at the C&F Bank Intercollegiate (March 25-27, 2012).
Freshman Carter Jenkins completed his collegiate debut with a top-10 showing as he finished ninth overall. Jenkins was consistent all weekend, as he posted an even-par 216 with a first-round score of 73, a second round of 72 and a final round of 71.
Junior Roy Dixon was the Spartans’ second finisher, placing 19th overall with a 3-over par 219. Dixon held the lead after a first-round 69 and was in in fourth place after 36 holes with a 73 in round two before posting a third-round 77.
Junior Alex Ehlert moved up the leaderboard 13 spots in the final round to finish 23rd overall with a 4-over par 220. Ehlert opened with a 75 in round one and a 74 in round two Saturday before finishing with his top round of the weekend, firing a 1-under par 71 Sunday.
Sophomore Luke Haithcock posted a 5-over par 221 at the event, good for a 28th-place finish. Haithcock started slowly with a 76 in round one before turning in a 2-under par 70 in round two. He capped off his weekend with a 3-over par 75 Sunday.
Rounding out the Spartans’ lineup was sophomore Taylor Coalson with an 11-over-par 227 (77-76-74). Freshman Jake McGlone played in his first collegiate event as an individual and went 16-over-par 232 (73-79-80).
Georgia Tech won the outing by 20 strokes as it fired an 842 (283-281-278), while NC State was second with an 862 (284-295-283). Seth Reeves of Georgia Tech took home the individual title with an 8-under-par 208 with scores of 69, 69 and 70 to win by four strokes over his closest competitor.
UNCG returns to action Sept. 23-24 as it travels to Richmond, Va., for the VCU Shootout at the Hermitage Country Club.
Davidson finishes 10th at Tar Heel Intercollegiate
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Highlighted by four birdies, Ralph Blasey matched his personal best with a 1-under 71 to lead Davidson to a 10th-place showing at the Tar Heel Intercollegiate.
The 54-hole event was played on the 7,242-yard, par-72 UNC Finley Golf Course, which was designed by Tom Fazio and is rated one of the top courses in the state.
As a team, the Wildcats carded one of the day’s better rounds to finish with a two-day total of 893 (299-301-293).
After suffering three double-bogeys Saturday, senior Richard Fountain (76-75-72) fired an even-par 72 Sunday to lead Davidson on the individual leaderboard, placing tied for 33rd.
Blasey finished one back of Fountain at 224 (77-76-71), while teammate Todd Eckstein (75-74-76) recorded a final-round 4-over 76 to come home one back of Blasey.
Also competing for Davidson were Andy Simmons (74-80-74) and Sam Echikson (74-76-78), who finished tied for 54th at 228.
Georgia Tech (-22) claimed the team title with four of its five golfers grabbing the top four spots on the leaderboard. Overnight leader Seth Reeves (-8) captured individual medalists by four strokes over Richy Werenski (-4), while Ollie Schiederjans (-3) and Andres Albertson (-2) placed third and tied for fourth, respectively.
Boston College, Charlotte, Duke, East Carolina, East Tennessee State, Furman, Gardner-Webb, Maryland, North Carolina, NC State, UNCG, UNCW and Virginia Commonwealth also participated in the event.
Davidson will enjoy a week break before heading to South Bend, Ind., for the Fighting Irish Gridiron Golf Classic on Sept. 23-24.
Furman finishes 12th at Tar Heel Intercollegiate
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The Paladin trio of sophomores Wehman Hopke and Preston Cole and junior Michael Borton each shot a par 72 Sunday to help Furman (+37) to a 12th-place finish at the season-opening Tar Heel Intercollegiate at the 7,242-yard UNC Finley Golf Course.
Hopke (+7) birdied two holes on the back nine to lead the Paladins, concluding the tournament tied for 33rd, while Borton (+8) notched four birdies on the front and two on the back to move into a tie for 38th place. Cole (+11) carded three birdies for the round to finish tied for 49th. Freshman Bryce Howell (+12), competing in his first collegiate tournament, recorded a 75 on Sunday to finish tied for 54th, while sophomore Preston Heyward (+16) tied for 63rd after carding a 76 in the tournament’s final round.
Georgia Tech (-22) cruised to a 20-stroke victory over second place NC State (-2) with UNCG (+9), North Carolina (+13), and VCU (+18) rounding out the top five in a field of 14 teams. Georgia Tech’s Seth Reeves captured individual medalist honors with rounds of 69-69-70 to finish at 8-under par, while teammate Richy Werenski secured second place at 4-under par.
The Paladins return to the course Sept. 23-24, when Furman competes at the Cardinal Intercollegiate in Louisville, Ky.
Chattanooga 13th at Golfweek Conference Challenge
BURLINGTON, Iowa – The Chattanooga Mocs got off to a promising start but struggled over the final six holes to shoot an opening-round 305 at the Golfweek Conference Challenge. UTC is 13th with 36 holes to play, two behind Ball State and five shy of LSU and Florida Gulf Coast.
Chattanooga was in great position through 12 holes at Spirit Hollow Golf Course. The squad was at 3-over par but it played the last six at plus-14 to slip down the leaderboard.
Freshman Chattanooga native Brooks Thomas posted a steady 2-over-par 74 to lead the Mocs. He had 14 pars on his card balanced with one birdie and three bogeys. He’s tied for 28th, five strokes behind Ball State’s Tyler Merkel in the lead at 69 (-3).
Two shots separated the final three counting scores. Benni Weilguni had a 76, followed by Ewan Scott at 77 and Chris Robb with a 78. Davis Bunn had the drop score with an 81.
Houston is the early leader after a 1-over-par 289. The Cougars lead Oklahoma and New Mexico in second at 290, while Virginia Tech is fourth at 292.
Monday’s second round starts at 10:45 a.m. Eastern time for the Mocs. Chattanooga opens play on No. 10 with Bunn starting off, with Robb (10:54), Scott (11:03), Weilguni (11:12) and Thomas (11:21) following. UTC is paired with Louisiana Tech and Texas State.