Somers wins, Elon finishes second at Coca-Cola Wofford Invitational
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Senior John Somers earned the first individual tournament victory of his Elon career on Tuesday, as he claimed medalist honors at The Coca-Cola Wofford Invitational. His performance helped the Phoenix to a second-place finish in the team standings as the maroon and gold posted a three-round score of 837 (274-272-291).
Somers picked up the victory after finishing the tournament with a 10-under 206 (65-68-73). After matching the tournament record for the lowest individual score through 36 holes (133) and equaling the tournament mark for lowest first-round score (65) Monday, Somers carded a 1-over-par 73 on Tuesday. He bested a quintet of players who finished two strokes back, including 15th-rated J.T. Poston of Western Carolina and 21st-ranked Julien Brun of TCU. Somers recorded a tournament-best four eagles and added 15 birdies over his three rounds of play.
Troy Beaver, who had played just six rounds this year prior to this tournament, earned a share of eighth place in the field of 83 with a 210 (69-67-74). Beaver finished with 16 birdies, tied for the most in the event.
Just one stroke back in a tie for 14th was Will DiIanni. He achieved his 211 with rounds of 70, 70 and 71 and had a total of two eagles.
Jonathan DiIanni placed in a tie for 21st with a mark of 213 (73-67-73). He posted 13 birdies over his 54 holes.
Finally, Stuart Kaufman earned a share of 45th after recording a 221 (70-75-76).
In the 15-team field, Lamar rallied past Elon thanks to a final-round 276 to take home the team title. Lamar finished with a 31-under mark of 833 (273-284-276). The Phoenix was four shots back with a 27-under 837.
Host Wofford placed third with a score of 840, while Radford's 849 placed the Highlanders fourth. In a tie for fifth at 853 were 50th-ranked TCU and Appalachian State.
The Phoenix will wrap up the 2013-14 season at the 78th annual Southern Conference Championship, which begins on Sunday, April 20, at the National Golf Club at Pinehurst.
Wofford finishes third at Coca-Cola Wofford Invitational
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Freshman Andrew Novak earned runner-up honors to lead the Wofford men's golf team to third place at the 26th annual Coca-Cola Wofford Invitational on Tuesday at The Country Club of Spartanburg.
Novak finished in a five-way tie for second, carding a collegiate-best 54-hole total of 8-under 208. Western Carolina's 17th-ranked J.T. Poston, TCU's 19th-ranked Julien Brun and Lamar's Gustav Burenstam and Stephane Dubois all posted the same total, earning the five players all-tournament team honors.
John Somers of Elon took the individual championship at 10-under 208. He was 7-under for the tournament with five holes remaining and played 3-under the rest of the way, including an eagle at the par-5, 491-yard 17th, for the title.
As a team, the Terriers finished third by breaking the tournament's 54-hole scoring record of 23-under 841 with a 24-under 840. Wofford shot a final-round 6-under 282, but it was not enough for the title, as Lamar erased an 11-stroke deficit to catch Elon and win the championship with a new tournament scoring record of 31-under 833. The Cardinals did so by posting the best third round in tournament history of 12-under 276. Meanwhile, Elon began the day at 30-under and turned in a 3-over 291 to finish in second at 27-under 837.
Wofford was in the thick of it down the stretch. With groups coming to their final three holes, Elon was in first at 25-under, Lamar was second and 24-under, followed by the Terriers at 22-under. Wofford picked up two more strokes to close it out, but Lamar caught fire to capture the trophy by playing its final six holes at 10-under with 12 birdies.
The third-place finish is a spot shy of Wofford's best at its home invitational. The Terriers finished second in 2006 and claimed runner-up honors again last year.
Aside from Novak, freshman Jeremy Grab, junior Brannan Hudson and senior Chandler Brazeal all earned top-10 finishes in the 83-man field. Halfway through his final round, Grab – competing as an individual – held the tournament lead by three strokes at 11-under. He carded four bogeys on his final nine to shoot a 1-under 71 and earned seventh with a 7-under 209. Brazeal and Hudson tied for eighth a stroke behind Grab, each carding a final-round 3-under 69.
Junior Cory Taylor – Monday's highlight with a 162-yard hole-in-one and 150-yard hole-out for eagle – posted a 1-over 73 to tie for 16th at 4-under 212.
Terrier individuals Stuart McGoogan and Brent McKenzie tied for 45th and 53rd at 5-over 221 and 7-over 223, respectively. Senior George Perkovich, competing for the team, finished tied for 72nd at 13-over 229.
The Wofford men's golf team now gears up for the Southern Conference Championship, scheduled to take place next Sunday through Tuesday at The National Golf Club of Pinehurst. It will mark the 78th annual SoCon Men's Golf Championship.
Appalachian State ties for fifth at Coca-Cola Wofford Invitational
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Appalachian State University men’s golf team was able to keep momentum at the Coca-Cola Wofford Invitational despite multiple rain delays to finish tied for fifth at the par-72, 6,648-yard Country Club of Spartanburg.
Behind an overall impressive week, the Mountaineers tied with No. 50 TCU, firing an 11-under 853 for the tournament, winning the head-to-head battle against 10 schools.
The three-round total of 853 was the second-lowest tournament total of the 2013-14 season. They shot an 849 at the Donald Ross Intercollegiate in October but finished with a better relation to par at 11-under.
Casey Komline inished in the top spot for Appalachian. He started the tournament strong carding a 4-under 68 in the first round and a 1-over 73 in the second round. In the third round, he carded a 1-under 71 to finish tied for 16th for the tournament.
John Michael Cole tied with Komline. After going 1-over in the first round, he managed to go 3-under and 1-under to finish the tournament at 4-under par.
Lee Mitchell started the tournament shooting a 3-over 75 in the first round and 1-over in the second round. He tied Komline for the best round in the third round, carding a 4-under 68 to finish tied for 28th at even par.
Eric Eberspeaker finished four strokes behind Mitchell, carding a 4-over 220, finishing tied for 48th place. Rounding out the Mountaineers’ starting five was Caleb Keck. Keck had a slow start but hit stride in the second round, firing a 4-under 68, tying Mitchell and Komline for the best round.
The Mountaineers will compete in their last Southern Conference Men’s Golf Championship on Sunday in Pinehurst, N.C.
Western Carolina finishes 13th at Coca-Cola Wofford Invitational
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Western Carolina junior J.T. Poston earned his 19th top-10 and his 12th top-five finish of his career after claiming second place following a chip-off at the 26th Coca-Cola Wofford Invitational at the par-72, 6,648-yard Country Club of Spartanburg after the final 18 holes of play Tuesday. The Catamounts slipped a spot in the final round of the 54-hole event to finish in 13th place out of the 15-team field.
The Hickory, N.C., native carded a final-round score of 2-under-par 70 to finish in a five-way tie for second place with Julien Brun from TCU, Andrew Novak from Wofford and Gustav Burenstam and Stephane Dubois from Lamar at 208. Poston took home the second-place trophy after his chip-off attempt finished closest to the pin.
In eight events this season, the Ben Hogan Award Watch Lister has recorded six top-five finishes and eight top-10 finishes. Poston lowered his Southern Conference-leading stroke average on the season to 70.11 following the event. He is on pace to finish the season with best stroke average – with a minimum of 15 rounds – in program history. Poston also moved into the top spot on the individual career stroke average ranking after lowering his career average down to 72.03, surpassing Matt Cook’s mark of 72.11 from 2005-08.
Tyler Lail, who entered play Tuesday tied for 44th, struggled through a round of 77 after carding rounds of 75 and 71 on day one to finish tied for 53rd after a 54-hole score of 223. Matthew Turner shot his third straight round of 76 to end with a 228 and tied for 70th.
Redshirt junior Colin Witiak and freshman Nont Panayanggool rounded out the Catamount scoring five with rounds of 81 and 79, respectively. Witiak finished tied for 72nd with a 54-hole score of 229, while Panayanggool ended in 83rd after a three-round score of 237.
As a team, the Purple & Gold finished in 13th place after a 54-hole score of 886. The Catamounts’ 302 in the final round was 10 strokes higher than their first- and second-round score of 292. WCU’s 886 was its best three-round score in its spring tournaments and third-best score of the 2013-14 season.
Western Carolina ends its season at the 2014 Southern Conference Championship at the National Golf Club in Pinehurst, N.C., April 20-22.
UNCG ties for 10th at suspended Reunion Intercollegiate
JACKSON, Miss. – The No. 52-ranked UNCG men’s golf team wrapped up the rain-shortened Reunion Intercollegiate on Tuesday, finishing tied for 10th overall at the Reunion Golf and Country Club. The event was shortened to just 36 holes after torrential rains Monday forced round one to be suspended. All teams finished round one and played round two Tuesday immediately following.
The Spartans finished with a 36-hole score of 609 after opening with a 296 in round one before posting a season-high 313 in round two in the soggy conditions. Mississippi State won the event with a 12-over-par 588 (296-292), while No. 15 Vanderbilt was second at 592 (299-293) and No. 10 Houston was third at 593 (294-299).
Sophomore Taylor Coalson led the Spartans with a 15th-place showing on the week. Coalson posted a 5-over-par 149, opening with an even-par 72 before carding a 5-over par 77 in round two. Pep Angles of Central Arkansas won the individual title with a 3-under-par 141 (73-68).
Junior Roy Dixon and freshman Carter Jenkins tied for 35th place overall with 9-over-par 153 scores. Dixon opened with a 76 in round one before posting a 77 in round two. Jenkins was one shot out of the lead after 18 holes with a 1-under par 71 but turned in an 82 in round two.
The Reunion Intercollegiate was the final tuneup for the Spartans before heading into the 2014 Southern Conference Men’s Golf Championship held April 20-22 at the National Golf Course in Pinehurst.