Jenkins, UNCG win rain-shortened AutoTrader.com Collegiate
DULUTH, Ga. – The UNCG men’s golf team won the rain-shortened AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic title Tuesday as the third and final round was canceled due to inclement weather. The Spartans were dominant Monday in the first two rounds, running out to a three-stroke team lead, and had three players in the top 11 of the individual standings, including the top two overall, at the 6,694-yard Berkeley Hill Country Club.
The Spartans as a team posted a two-round score of 14-under par 562, to win by three strokes over VCU (11-under 565) and six shots over fellow Southern Conference member Chattanooga (8-under 568) for third. UNCG opened the event with a 4-under-par 284 to hold the team lead by one stroke after round one before turning in a 10-under-par 278 in round two. The 278 score is tied for the sixth-lowest team score in a round in program history and the lowest this season for UNCG. It is the lowest team score for 18 holes since the Spartans set the UNCG program record in round three of the USF Invitational last year with a 273.
The 36-hole score of 562 is the lowest 36-hole event for the Spartans as a team in program history, eclipsing the mark of 571 set in the 1995-96 season at the ODU/Seascape Invitational when a portion of the events only were scheduled for 36 holes of golf. Additionally, the AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic Championship is the 18th team title in program history and the first for UNCG since winning the Pinehurst Intercollegiate last spring.
Sophomore Carter Jenkins won the individual title with an 8-under-par 136 through 36 holes. Jenkins opened the day with a 3-under-par 69 to take the early lead before carding a 5-under-par 67 in round two. His score of 67 in round two is his lowest of the season and tied for his third-lowest round of his career. This is Jenkins’ second career victory, as he won the Wolfpack Intercollegiate title last season as a freshman.
Junior Taylor Coalson finished just behind Jenkins in a tie for second place overall with a 6-under-par 138. Coalson opened with a 1-under-par 71 before matching Jenkins in round two with a 5-under-par 67. His score of 67 in round two is a season best and the second-lowest score of his career.
Senior Roy Dixon rounded out the Spartans in the top 15, as he tied for 11th place overall. Dixon carded a 2-under-par 142 Monday with a 2-under-par 70 in round one and an even-par 72 in round two.
Sophomore Jake McGlone tied for 34th overall with a 2-over-par 146. McGlone opened with a 2 over-par 74 in the first round before coming in with an even-par 72 in the second round of the day. He closed the final round by posting a birdie and two pars on his last three holes to help the Spartans hold a three-stroke lead at the end of the day. McGlone also notched an eagle-3, accomplishing the task on the 505-yard par-5 No. 3 hole.
Sophomore William Thomas tied for 52nd playing as an individual with a 6-over-par 150. Thomas opened with a season-best 1-over-par 73 before posting a 5-over-par 77. The 73 score in round one is tied for his second-lowest score of his career, as he posted scores of 72 and 73 in the first two rounds of the AutoTrader.com Collegiate last year. Freshman Josh Stockwell rounded out the Spartans’ lineup with a 10-over-par 160 (78-82) to sit in a tie for 72nd place overall.
Joining the Spartans in the field were host Georgia State, College of Charleston, Chattanooga, Davidson, Francis Marion, Mercer, Richmond, Samford, South Alabama, Troy and VCU.
The Spartans return to action Oct. 25-26 as they host their annual Bridgestone Golf Collegiate at the Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C.
Chattanooga finishes third at rain-shortened AutoTrader.com Collegiate
DULUTH, Ga. – The final round of the AutoTrader.com Collegiate was canceled due to heavy rains and a tornado watch at dawn Tuesday morning. The Chattanooga Mocs end up third, while senior Liam Johnston finishes tied for second.
Chattanooga trailed UNCG in first by six. VCU finished second at 11-under. Troy is fourth, a shot behind the Mocs, at 569 (-7).
Liam Johnston is runner-up for the second straight year at the AutoTrader.com Collegiate. He matched his 2013 start shooting 71-67 Monday for a 6-under-par total of 138. The Spartans’ Carter Jenkins is the medalist at 10-under (136), while his teammate Taylor Coalson matched Johnston at -6.
Wes Gosselin ends up tied for 14th at 1-under, while Ewan Scott and Andrew Weathers tied for 26th at +1 (145). Zac Stolz rounded out the starters at 148 (+4). Individuals Kory Webb and Brooks Thomas each tallied 150 totals, with Thomas shooting twin 75s and Webb posting 76 and 74, respectively.
The Mocs close out the fall campaign Oct. 25-26 at the Bridgestone Golf Collegiate. The two-day, 54-hole event is hosted by UNCG at the Grandover Resort and Conference Center.
Mercer finish sixth at AutoTrader.com Collegiate
DULUTH, Ga. – The final round of the AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic has been canceled due to heavy rain and a tornado watch in the Duluth area.
The Bears's score of 572 on Monday earned the team a sixth-place finish, as UNCG won the tournament with a 14-under-par total of 562.
Emmanuel Kountakis recorded his third-straight top-10 finish, carding a two-round score of 140 to place fourth overall. Sean Smothers joined Kountakis in the top 10, firing a season-best 141 to place ninth.
Mercer will close out its 2014 fall schedule on Oct. 25-26, as it competes in UNCG's Bridgestone Classic at Grandover Resort.
Samford finishes 12th at AutoTrader.com Collegiate
DULUTH, Ga. – Amidst tornado threats and heavy rains throughout the Atlanta metro area, the final round of play in the fourth annual AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic was canceled Tuesday as the 12-team competition came to a close at Berkeley Hills Country Club.
Samford concluded the one-day, two-round tournament with a final team score of 611 (312-299). The Bulldogs improved 13 strokes in the second round of action Monday and were poised to continue their trend in Tuesday’s final 18 holes of play.
In the rain-shortened event, UNCG (284-278=562) was declared the tournament champion at 14-under-par. Carter Jenkins of UNCG shot 8-under-par Monday and was named the individual champion.
Samford placed 12th in the talent-laden event and was paced by sophomore Robert Adams and junior Jake Miller. Adams and Miller finished with identical scores of 152. Sophomore Garrett Moores concluded the tournament just one stroke behind at 153, while Ivan Truss and Chris Clouser registered scores of 156 and 165, respectively.
The Bulldogs’ Ashton Nix competed as an individual Monday and posted a two-round tally of 154.
The field in the AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic included seven top-100 ranked squads in the latest Golfweek rankings. Joining Samford in the tournament were host school Georgia State, College of Charleston, Chattanooga, Davidson, Francis Marion, Mercer, UNCG, Richmond, South Alabama, Troy and VCU.
The Samford University men’s golf team will next be in action Monday as the Bulldogs are slated to begin play in the 2014 F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate, which will be held Monday and Tuesday at The Links at Novadell in Hopkinsville, Ky.
Final round of Donald Ross Intercollegiate washed out, Wofford runner-up
MORGANTON, N.C. – The final round of the Donald Ross Intercollegiate was canceled due to inclement weather on Tuesday, earning the Wofford men’s golf team a tie for second place.
The 10-team, 65-man tournament was originally scheduled for 54 holes, until heavy rain and lightning came down throughout the morning and afternoon at the Mimosa Hills Golf and Country Club. With the course deemed unplayable, Monday’s 36-hole results were declared final.
Wofford completed the tournament with an 8-over-par 568, tying for runner-up with Presbyterian. Senior Brannan Hudson was the team’s top finisher, shooting rounds of 2-under-par 68 and even-par 70 on Monday to earn a tie for sixth place.
The Wofford men’s golf team competes again this Saturday and Sunday at the Camden Collegiate Invitational hosted by the University of South Carolina.