UNCG wins Pinehurst Intercollegiate
PINEHURST, N.C. – The 50th-ranked UNCG men’s golf team claimed its 17th team title in program history Tuesday afternoon as the Spartans held on to their 36-hole lead with a solid third and final round to win the Pinehurst Intercollegiate by six strokes over Belmont.
The Pinehurst Intercollegiate is played with the first and third rounds at Pinehurst No. 8, while the second round is held at famed Pinehurst No. 2, the home of the 2014 U.S. Open Championship and the 2014 Women’s U.S. Open Championship.
The Spartans finished the 54-hole event with a 893 score after posting scores of 302 in both rounds one and three at Pinehurst No. 8, while recording the lowest round of the tournament with a 289 at Pinehurst No. 2. UNCG saw all five of its starting lineup finish in the top 21 of the field and all seven of its golfers, individuals included, finish in the top 31 of the 61-person field.
The Spartans opened the day with a 10-stroke lead and extended it to as large as 17 strokes but held off Belmont down the stretch as the Bruins pulled within one stroke of the lead with five holes to play. The Spartans were able to close the deal on the final three holes, picking up a couple of strokes along the way for the six-stroke victory.
Junior Roy Dixon continued his stellar play of late with a career-best third-place finish at the Pinehurst Intercollegiate. Dixon finished a 9-over 221 on the three-day event, trailing on Danny Pizetoski of Richmond (215) and Patric Sundlof of Eastern Kentucky (218) in the standings. He opened the tournament with a 4-over-par 75 in round one and posted the best round of the day Monday with an even-par 70 on No. 2 before closing out on No. 8 with a 5-over-par 76. Dixon posted a then-career-best 11th-place finish last week at the USF Invitational.
Freshman Jake McGlone also turned in a new career-best finish, placing fourth overall in the field with an 11-over-par 223. McGlone maintained his fourth-place showing after 36 holes with a 3-over-par 74 in the third and final round, the low round for the UNCG five-man starting lineup. He opened the event with a 5-over 76 Sunday in round one and notched his best round of the week with a 3-over-par 73 on No. 2.
Sophomore Taylor Coalson moved into a tie for 13th place overall with a 15-over-par 227. Coalson opened the week with a 1-over-par 72 and followed that up with an 8-over-par 78 Monday before carding a 6-over-par 77 to round out his week.
Freshman Carter Jenkins moved up three spots on the final day to finish tied for 16th overall with a 17-over-par 229. Jenkins opened the week with an 8-over-par 79 before notching back-to-back rounds of 75 Monday and Tuesday. Junior Alex Ehlert rounded out the Spartans’ lineup with an 18th-place finish with a 18-over-par 230.
Sophomore Luke Haithcock added a 21st-place showing as an individual, finishing 19-over-par with a 231. Haithcock posted a 76 in round one, a 75 in round two and an 80 in the third and final round. Redshirt freshman Will Thomas wrapped up the UNCG contingent with a 31st-place showing as an individual with a 235 score.
The Spartans return to the course March 23-25 with the C&F Bank Intercollegiate hosted by William & Mary at the Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va.
Chattanooga rallies for fifth-place finish at Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate
AIKEN, S.C. – The Chattanooga Mocs men’s golf team knew what it needed to do today. After a slow start to the Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate on Monday, the team needed a special round.
They got it. The Mocs shot 284 (+4) at the always-difficult Palmetto Golf Club to jump six spots up the leaderboard.
Chris Robb and Ewan Scott keyed the charge, shooting 68 and 69, respectively. Davis Bunnadded a plus-3 73, while Liam Johnston rounded out the counting cards with a 74.
Robb’s 2-under-par 68 vaulted him into a tie for fifth at 4-over 214. Bunn tied for 17th at 218.
Clemson (854) won the title by two shots over No. 7 Virginia (856). South Carolina was third at 867. Austin Langdale made it a clean sweep for the Tigers, winning medalist honors at even-par 210. Derek Bard of Virginia was second, one stroke off the pace.
Chattanooga gave itself a little breathing room as it pertains to the .500 rule. The .500 rule in college golf stipulates that a team has to have a .500 record or better to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Regionals or earn its league’s automatic bid. The Mocs entered 42-50-1 and leave 57-54-1.
The fifth-place finish topped four top-100 programs, including No. 36 Liberty and No. 51 NC State. The Mocs have played in eight straight regionals.
The Mocs are off until March 22-23, when they tee off at the Linger Longer Invitational. The two-day event begins with 36 holes on Saturday and ends with a final 18 on Sunday the 23rd.
Furman ties for 11th at Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate
AIKEN, S.C. – Freshman Bryce Howell (+12) carded a 72 Tuesday to lead the Furman men’s golf team in the final round of the 17th Annual Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate at the par-70 6,617-yard Palmetto Golf Club.
Howell, who placed in a tie for 31st, finished the tournament 11 strokes behind Austin Langdale (E) of Clemson, who fired a three-round even total of 69-69-72=210 to claim individual medalist honors. The No. 31 Tigers (+14) won the tournament with a two-day total of 854, just two strokes ahead of No. 7 Virginia (+16). No. 26 South Carolina (+27) placed third. The Paladins (+54) tied with Wofford (+54) for 11th place in the 18-team field.
Sophomore Preston Heyward (+13) shot an 82 on Tuesday to place 38th overall, while sophomore Preston Cole (+15) carded an 80 on Tuesday to conclude the tournament tied for 47th place. Junior Michael Borton (+21) also shot an 80 on Tuesday to tie for 67th, while sophomore Wehman Hopke (+31) finished in a tie for 84th after posting a 75 in the tournament’s final round.
The Paladins will compete at the Linger Longer Invitational in Eatonton, Ga., March 22-23.
Wofford ties for 11th at Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate
AIKEN, S.C. – The Wofford College men's golf team completed the 17th annual Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate on Tuesday, tying for 11th place with a three-round total of 54-over-par 894.
Eighteen teams and 90 individuals competed in the two-day, 72-hole tournament. It was held at the par-70, 6,617-yard Palmetto Golf Club.
Senior Chandler Brazeal headed Wofford's effort, earning a tie for 17th at 8-over-par 218. Brazeal shot rounds of 4-over 74 and even-par 70 on Monday and concluded the tournament Tuesday with a second 74. His 17th-place performance tied Brazeal's best of the year and was his third top-20.
Freshman Andrew Novak earned 22nd place, matching Brazeal's final-round 74 and finishing a stroke behind the senior with a 9-over 219. Novak carded a 74 in his first round, as well, along with a 1-over 71 in Monday's second round.
The Terriers entered Tuesday's final round tied for fourth after posting rounds of 17-over 297 and 8-over 288 on Monday. Wofford's third-round 309 dropped it seven spots to 11th.
The 27th-ranked Clemson Tigers won the title, finishing the tournament at 14-over-par. Clemson bested No. 11 Virginia by two strokes. No. 25 South Carolina was also in the field and finished in third place at 27-over-par.
Clemson's Austin Langdale took medalist honors by shooting an even-par 210. Langdale beat out Virginia's Derek Bard by one stroke.
Sophomore Jeremy Grab, junior Brannan Hudson and senior George Perkovich rounded out Wofford's competitors. Grab tied for 63rd (+20), while Hudson and Perkovich tied for 71st (+22).
The Wofford men's golf team has a 16-day break until its next tournament, when it competes at the Furman Intercollegiate beginning Friday, March 28.
Elon finishes 13th at Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate
AIKEN, S.C. – A final-round 298 lifted the Elon men's golf team to a 13th-place finish at the Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate with a three-round mark of 898 (298-302-298).
Elon's top finisher in the 90-player field was John Somers. Somers tied for 31st with a three-round score of 222 (72-76-74).
He was followed by Will DiIanni, who posted a 225 (75-76-74) to place in a tie for 47th.
Stuart Kaufman's 227 (74-76-77) placed him in a tie for 52nd.
Elon's Jonathan DiIanni and Troy Beaver tied for 63rd with a score of 230. DiIanni had rounds of 80, 74 and 76, while Beaver carded scores of 77, 79 and 74.
Medalist honors went to Clemson's Austin Langdale. Landale shot an even-par 210 (69-69-72).
Clemson also took home the team title in the 18-team field, scoring a three-round mark of 854 (281-290-283), to best Virginia (290-287-279) by two strokes.
The rest of the top five was comprised of South Carolina (867), Georgia State (874) and Chattanooga (875).
Elon will get back on the course in less than a week, as the Phoenix will play in the Seahawk Intercollegiate hosted by UNCW starting next Sunday.
Western Carolina finishes 12th at Tiger Invitational
OPELIKA, Ala. – Western Carolina junior J.T. Poston carded a final-round even-par 72 on Tuesday, finishing tied for fifth in the 81-golfer field at the highly competitive Tiger Invitational held at the par-72, 7,149-yard Grand National Lake Course. Behind Poston's showing, the Catamounts finished 12th collectively as a team.
Starting on the back nine, Poston overcame a sluggish start, charting two bogeys and one double-bogey through his first six holes to stand at 3-over for the round with 12 holes to play. He finished with three birdies and nine pars for his even round. Poston finished with rounds of 6-under 66, 1-over 73 and even-par 72.
Sophomore Tyler Lail turned his best round of the tournament on Tuesday, shooting 6-over-par 78 to move into a tie with freshman teammate Nont Panayanggool for 70th overall at 241. Redshirt junior Collin Witiak finished 73rd overall at 243, just ahead of junior Matthew Turner in a tie for 74th overall at 244.
Tournament host No. 28 Auburn claimed the team championship by 19 strokes over the runner-up, No. 42 Kennesaw State. The Tigers finished at 22-under-par 842, with the Owls shooting 3-under 861.
Jacksonville State's Tomasz Anderson edged Mississippi State's Chad Ramey by a stroke to claim the individual medalist honors. Anderson carded rounds of 67, 69 and 70 for a 206, while Ramey shot 68, 71 and 68 for a 207.
Western Carolina returns to action March 28-30 at the Furman Intercollegiate held at the on-campus Furman University Golf Course. Led by Poston with a fourth-place showing, the Catamounts finished sixth in last year's event.
Appalachian State ties for 11th at Bash at the Beach
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Appalachian State University men’s golf team finished its first tournament of the spring season by placing 11th at the Bash at the Beach Tournament at The Surf Club and Beach Club.
The Mountaineers posted a three-round score of 886 (+34) (295-289-302) in the tournament. After the first round, the Mountaineers were in ninth place, but a spectacular second round had them in the hunt for a top-five finish. Appalachian put together its worst round in the third round and finished tied for 11th.
Junior Eric Eberspeaker finished in the top spot for the Mountaineers with a three-round score of 220 (71-75-74) but finished tied for 37th overall. Senior Casey Komline finished three strokes back from Eberspeaker but finished tied for 48th place. Sophomore Lee Mitchell and sophomore Caleb Keck finished only one stroke back from Komline and tied for 54th overall. Senior John Michael Cole came in last for the Mountaineers and tied for 68th overall.
Komline posted the best round for the Apps in the second round with a 70. He was leading the team after the first two rounds but shot an 80 in the third round that would put him out of the top spot for the Mountaineers.
As individuals, freshman Patrick Moriarty finished tied for 54th, while junior Andrew Furr and senior Dustin Abele finished tied for 68th place and 73rd place, respectively.
The Mountaineers will compete again at the Mission Inn Spring Spectacular in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., at the Mission Inn Golf Club starting Saturday.