Wolfes wins The Invitational, Georgia Southern finishes 11th

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – Georgia Southern sophomore golfer Scott Wolfes finished with a three-round total of 220 to win the individual title at The Invitational at The Ocean Course, the site of the 2012 PGA Championship.

Wolfes, who began Tuesday’s final round as the tournament’s leader after shooting a 67 Monday, labored through a round of 80 and looked to be out of contention with Florida’s Tyler McCumber surging past him and into the lead during the final round.

Wolfes, who teed off on hole 10, birdied holes 11 and 15 before double-bogeying 17. He struggled with the first four holes on the front nine, playing them in five-over par before recording a string of four straight pars. He bogeyed hole 9 to finish +4 for the tournament.

McCumber and Florida teammate TJ Vogel also teed off on hole 10, and McCumber struggled on the front nine, carding double bogeys at 2 and 4 and bogeys at 3 and 5. After playing the back nine at +5, Vogel made a late charge, playing the front nine at 1-under, but it wasn’t enough to catch Wolfes. Both Gators finished a shot back.

Wolfes is the first individual medalist for Georgia Southern since Logan Blondell won the Kauai Collegiate Cup in 2009 after shooting an 8-under par 208.

Georgia Southern tied for 11th as a team with St. John’s, one shot back of Stephen F. Austin. Florida, who had four players in the top five in the individual standings, won the tournament by 24 strokes.

Blake Olson shot the lowest round for the Eagles on Tuesday, posting a 78, and Caleb Morris carded a 79. Hayden Anderson shot an 81, and Charlie Martin finished with an 82.

Will Evans posted an 85, and Henry Mabbett, playing as an individual, recorded a 79. Mabbett tied for 44th in the 96-player field, the second-best finish by an Eagle.

The Eagles are back in action at the Mason Rudolph Championship hosted by Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 21-23.

College of Charleston finishes fourth at The Invitational at The Ocean Course

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – Sophomore Zach Munroe and junior Alex Ellis individually placed in the top 10 as the College of Charleston men's golf team finished fourth overall on the final day of play at The Invitational at The Ocean Course.

Tuesday's final round saw the highest scoring average (80.48) of the tournament as players battled windy conditions on the par-72 course, which four weeks ago played host to the final major of the year in the 2012 PGA Championship.

Munroe, who shot 2-over and even par during the first and second rounds, respectively, stayed among the tournament leaders by making birdies on the No. 6 and No. 10 holes in the final round. He would finish in sixth at 7 over par with a three-round score of 223.

Ellis played consistently, finishing 3 over par each round (+9), which placed him in a three-way tie for eighth with JD Tomlinson of Florida and Paul McConnell of UT Arlington. Ellis birdied No. 1, No. 5 and No. 17 - a hole which proved one of the more difficult ones throughout the tournament.

As a team, the Cougars (299-301-313=913) were edged by Houston (293-304-315=912) by one stroke for third-place honors, while Florida (289-288-305=882) defended its title for the second year in a row. UT Arlington finished in second after turning in the lowest final round by any school with a 304 (+42).

Individual medalist honors went to Scott Wolfes of Georgia Southern, who carded a three-round total of 220 (+4), including a second-round 67.

CofC will return to action at the Mason Rudolph Invitational hosted by Vanderbilt on Sept. 21-23 at The Legends Club in Franklin, Tenn.

Davidson eighth at The Invitational at The Ocean Course

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – The Davidson men’s golf team finished its fall opener tied for eighth Tuesday afternoon at The Invitational at The Ocean Course, site of the 2012 PGA Championship.

Sam Echikson led the Wildcats individually with a 54-hole total of 229 (77-74-78) to come home tied for 15th out of 96 competitors.

A day after firing an even-par 72 to climb into the top 10, junior Richard Fountain carded an 80 Tuesday to finish a stroke behind his teammate in a tie for 18th.

John Skeadas (79-78-78=235) matched Echikson for Davidson’s low round of the day, while two strokes separated Wildcat competitors David Sargent (80-77-82=239), Todd Eckstein (76-79-85=240) and Alex Nianouris (77-83-81=241).

Davidson (306-301-319=926) posted a final-round 319 to finish tied with Texas State, just a stroke behind Akron and four back of UAB.

Florida, which placed four of its six golfers in the top five, claimed the team title by 24 strokes over UT Arlington, while Georgia Southern’s Scott Wolfes won individual medalist honors, despite an eight-over 80 in the final round.

Hosted by College of Charleston, the 2012 field also included: Akron, South Florida, USC Aiken, Mercer, Houston, Florida, UAB, SFA, Georgia Southern, UTA, USC Upstate, Davidson, St. Johns and Texas State.

Davidson will enjoy a 10-day break before continuing its fall schedule Sept. 21-23 at the Mason Rudolph Championship hosted by Vanderbilt in Franklin, Tenn.

Wofford finishes sixth at Raines Development Group Intercollegiate

FLORENCE, S.C. – Cory Taylor finished tied for 10th as the Wofford men’s golf team moved up one spot into a tie for sixth place after the final round of the Raines Development Group Intercollegiate at the par-72, 7,062-yard Country Club of South Carolina.

Taylor finished with rounds of 73, 72 and a career-low 68 for a 213. It is his lowest 54-hole score and best finish in the standings in his career. Charles Moore followed with a 72-70-74=216 in a tie for 19th, while Brent McKenzie shot a 71-74-76=221. Brannan Hudson carded a 74-72-76=222, and Chandler Brazeal ended the tournament with a 76-74-73=223.

Wofford finished in a tie for sixth with host Francis Marion after rounds of 290-288-291=869.

Gardner-Webb took the top team spot with a 283-281-286=850, while three players tied for the top individual spot with 209s.

The Terriers’ next tournament is Sept. 30 through Oct. 1 in the Cobra Puma Invitational in Fort Myers, Fla.

Furman finishes 10^th at Raines Development Group Intercollegiate

FLORENCE, S.C. – Senior Johnny Kyger carded an even-par 72 to finish in 23rd place and help the Furman (+14) men’s golf team to a 10^th-place finish on Tuesday at the Raines Development Group Intercollegiate at the par-72 Country Club of South Carolina.

Kyger, one over par for the 54-hole tournament, was followed by Paladin senior Anthony Aloi (+3), who finished 34th with a final-round 73. Freshman Preston Cole (+6) shot a final-round 77 to claim a share of 45th place, while Furman’s Matt Brown (+9) notched a two-over 74 on Tuesday.

Gardner-Webb (-14) claimed the team title with a three-round score of 850, while Georgia College (-10), Old Dominion (-9), North Alabama (-6) and Jacksonville (+4) rounded out the top five in the 16-team field.

Old Dominion’s Jamison Randall (-7) shot a final round 71 to share individual medalist honors with Daniel Kim (-7) and Matthew Yelverton (-7) of Gardner-Webb.

Furman returns to action this weekend at the University of North Carolina’s Tar Heel Intercollegiate in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Appalachian State wraps up Raines Development Group Intercollegiate in 12th

FLORENCE, S.C. – After three solid rounds to open the fall competition schedule, Appalachian State University’s men’s golf team finished in 12th place at the Raines Development Group Intercollegiate on Tuesday. The Mountaineers carded a 294-291-297=882 (+18) over 54 holes at the Country Club of South Carolina.

Junior Casey Komline paced App State with a 23rd-place finish at 72-72-73=217 (+1). He was followed closely by Josh Nichols, who carded a 71-74-75=220 (+4) to tie for 36th.

In his Appalachian debut, Lee Mitchell improved each round with a 76-74-73=223 (+7) to take 52nd place. John Michael Cole placed 60th with a 78-71-77=226 (+10) and Jay Brown took home 68th place with a 75-77-76=228 (+12).

Gardner-Webb held on to claim the team championship with an 850 (-14), behind co-medalists Daniel Kim and Matthew Yelverton, who finished the event at 209 (-7). The pair was matched by Old Dominion’s Jamison Randall, who also tied for the individual medal. Georgia College took home second place at 845 (-10).

From the Southern Conference, Wofford finished sixth at 869 (+5) and Furman placed 10th with an 878 (+14), just four strokes ahead of the Mountaineers. Elon rounded out the league competitors in 13th with an 883 (+19).

The fall slate rolls on with a trip to Ohio for the Telich Sun Life Financial/CSU Invitational on Oct. 1-2. The event will be held at Cleveland’s Canterbury Golf Course, where the Apps tied for sixth place a season ago.

Elon finishes 13^th at Raines Development Group Intercollegiate

FLORENCE, S.C. – The Elon men's golf team opened its 2012-13 season by placing 13th at the Raines Development Group Intercollegiate on Tuesday. The Phoenix shot a three-round 883 (293-297-293) in its first action of the year.

Elon's John Somers, whose 13 birdies over three rounds were tied for the second most in the event, was the top finisher for the Maroon and Gold. Somers carded a one under par in Tuesday's final round on his way to an overall mark of 217 (70-76-71) and a tie for 23rd individually.

Jack Adkins had his best round of the tournament on Tuesday, carding an even-par 72. Adkins, who had 40 pars, shot a 221 (76-73-72) to tie for 38th.

Making his collegiate debut, Raphael Higuet tied for 45th with a mark of 222 (73-75-74), while Matthew Brady shot a 224 (75-73-76) to tie for 56th in the field of 85 individuals.

Rounding out the Elon contingent was Will Dilanni, whose 227 (75-76-76) placed him in a tie for 64th.

The individual title was shared by three performers - Gardner-Webb's Daniel Kim and Matthew Yelverton and Old Dominion's Jamison Randall. The trio all shot 209s.

Gardner-Webb also captured the team title, shooting an 850 (283-281-286) over the two days of the tournament. The rest of the top five included Georgia College (281-289-284=854), Old Dominion (285-283-287=855), North Alabama (294-282-282=858) and Jacksonville (293-284-291=868).

Other SoCon teams in the field were Wofford (T6th, 290-288-291=869), Furman (10th, 286-297-295=878) and Appalachian State (294-291-297=882).

Samford fifth at Sam H. Hall Intercollegiate

HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Samford University men’s golf team fired a third-round score of 278 on Tuesday to jump from seventh place to fifth place against a talented field of 15 teams at the 10th Annual Sam H. Hall Intercollegiate being hosted by the University of Southern Mississippi at the par-71, 6,882-yard Hattiesburg Country Club.

Samford completed the three-round, two-day Sam H. Hall Intercollegiate with a final team score of 853 (295-280-278). After struggling in the first round of play, the Bulldogs competed brilliantly in the final 36 holes and finished just two strokes behind Ole Miss and four strokes behind Mississippi State during the last two rounds of action.

Despite its slow start, Samford finished the week’s tournament just four strokes in the wake of third-place South Alabama (285-287-278=850). Ole Miss earned the team title of the two-day event with a three-round total of 845 (289-276-280), while Mississippi State placed third at 846 (292-278-276).

Individually, Samford concluded the event with a trio of top-11 performers. Seniors Drew Aimone, Casey O’Toole and Bill Nabors placed tied for fourth, tied for 11th and tied for 11th, respectively, while Mac Hennessy carded a 54-hole score of 220 (76-72-72) and true freshman Clay Nolan posted a three-round total of 236 (75-81-80).

Samford finished the tournament with players firing four rounds of scores in the 60s. Aimone, en route to his fourth-place finish, fired a 69 on Tuesday to post a 54-hole mark of 210 (70-71-69). O’Toole notched a final-round score of 68 and concluded the tournament with a scorecard of 212 (74-70-68).

The Bulldogs’ Nabors, a native of Decatur, Ala., turned in a pair of sub-70 scores this week at the Hattiesburg Country Club. After opening the competition with a 76, Nabors posted back-to-back scores of 67 and 69 to finish the tournament with a final three-round mark of 212.

The Samford University men’s golf team will next be in action Sept. 23-25, as the Bulldogs travel to Monterey, Calif., for the 2012 Saint Mary’s Invitational to be held at the pristine Bayonet and Blackhorse Golf Course.

Western Carolina rallies to fourth at Golfweek Program Challenge

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Sophomore J.T. Poston fired a two-under 214 over the three-day Golfweek Program Challenge, which concluded Tuesday afternoon, guiding Western Carolina to a fourth-place finish at the par-72, 6,940-yard True Blue Plantation Course.

Poston matched his career-low three-round tournament score, while the top 10-finish was the fifth in his WCU career.

Three Catamounts posted even-par final rounds on Tuesday as WCU rallied four spots in the final standings, finishing tied with Austin Peay and James Madison at six-over par 870. Combined with the women’s score from the Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, Western Carolina finished seventh out of 12 teams in the combined program challenge.

Starting on the back nine, Poston had back-to-back bogeys on the 11th and 12th holes, making the turn at two over par. Four holes into his final nine, the Hickory, N.C., native moved back to even par with an eagle on the par-5 No 4. He closed the final five holes at even par with a bogey and a birdie to shoot 72 on Tuesday.

Redshirt senior Kyle Wilson and true freshman Tyler Lail both matched Poston’s even-par on Tuesday’s final round. Wilson finished the tournament tied for 18th overall at two-over par 218, while Lail posted his season-low round, advancing into a tie for 37th in the final standings.

Wilson countered four bogeys with four birdies, including one on the final hole of his tournament, to finish even. Lail, who had five bogeys during his final 18 holes, was able to rally back to two-under through 15 holes with an eagle on No. 4 and birdie on No. 6. He finished with consecutive bogeys on Nos. 7 and 8 to shoot even par.

Sophomore Greg Bunner finished tied for 23rd after carding a one-over 73 on Tuesday and a career-low 54-hole tournament score of 219. Bunner made the turn at three over par with a trio of bogeys on the back nine before shooting two-under on the back with three birdies and a bogey on his final hole.

Rounding out WCU’s scorers was senior Steven Smith, who also carded his best three-round tournament score as a Catamount, finishing tied for 40th at 224. Smith shot three-over 75 on Tuesday with only one real blemish on his scorecard – a quadruple bogey on the par-5 fourth that moved him from one-under to three-over with just five holes to play. The Kirknewton, Scotland, native rallied to par out the remainder of his round after the four-over score.

Opening the final round in fifth place, Central Arkansas posted the low round on Tuesday, shooting 284 to rally to claim team championship honors by two strokes over Jacksonville State, 862-to-864. Troy was third, four strokes in arrears at 864 with WCU, Austin Peay and James Madison all finishing tied for fourth as the Catamounts posted the best final round among the three (289).

Trey Smith from James Madison shot 205 to win individual medalist honors by two strokes over Austen Moiz (207) from Central Arkansas. Troy’s Tolver Dozier rallied from fifth entering the final round to finish third, five strokes back at 210.

Campbell, which led entering the final round, shot 306 and slipped to eighth in the final standings. Collectively, though, the Camels defended their Golfweek Program Challenge championship, edging Central Arkansas by 24 strokes thanks largely to the 40-stroke victory by the women’s team.