Men's Golf | 4/24/2017 8:12:00 PM

Stroke play results | Match play live scoring | Match play pairings

DESTIN, Fla. – Steven Fisk and Jake Storey tied for first and led the Georgia Southern men's golf team to a second-place finish in stroke play at the Sun Belt Championship Monday at the Raven Golf Club.

Fisk (-3) topped Storey, Clay Vannoy of Troy and Luis Ruiz of Coastal Carolina in a one-hole playoff to claim medalist honors and the league's automatic individual bid to the NCAA Regionals.

Georgia Southern (+12) finished second in the team standings and advances to match play tomorrow at the Raven Club, where the Eagles will tee off against Arkansas State at 7:30 a.m. CT on 10th hole. Troy and Georgia State meet in the other match, and the winners face each other in the afternoon for the team title.

Fisk missed a six-footer on hole 18 that would have won the outright individual title, but the sophomore regrouped quickly for the playoff that started on 18. He striped his tee shot down the middle of the fairway and put his second shot on the green, 12 feet from the hole, where he two-putted for par.

Vannoy put his second shot in the water, and Ruiz landed short of the green. His chip shot rolled 10 feet by the hole, and his putt coming back was short. 

Storey landed in a fairway bunker and put is second shot on the green, leaving a 20-foot putt. The junior ran it past the hole by five feet, and his second putt, which would have extended the playoff, lipped out.

The Eagles finished the second round, which was suspended yesterday due to darkness, this morning and played another 18 holes today. Fisk shot 70-74, and Storey carded a 71-71.

Archer Price led the Eagles with a 69 in the final round after finishing the second round with a 74, and the junior tied for 10th. Brett Barron shot 76-74, and Cody O'Toole posted an 84-78.

Troy (+3) finished first in stroke play, nine shots ahead of the Eagles, while Georgia State (+20) and Arkansas State tied for third, a stroke ahead of Texas State. A total of just six strokes separated third through eighth place.

Georgia Southern ranked third in the field in par 4 and par 5 scoring as well as birdies. Storey led the field with 15 birdies, and Fisk tied for second with 14.

Quotables 
Coach Carter Collins
Overall
"We have to fit our game to this course more than we do other courses, and we did a better job of that this year. We worked hard all year on building accuracy and confidence off the tee, and I think that showed this week. More than anything, it was just good execution and good patience after bad shots to recover."

On the playoff
"The neatest thing is just the chemistry with those two. Steven and Jake both wanted to win, but they were both pulling for each other, and I don't think you see that with a lot of other programs. Jake was the first one to congratulate Steven, and I know he genuinely feels happy for him. Jake won earlier this year, and I know he was happy for Steven to join him in the winner's circle."

On recovering after a bogey on 18
"I think Steven's progression mentally throughout this year has been incredible. That was a perfect example of him overcoming adversity to deal with the result and handle his emotions a little better. It paid off for him."

On match play
"It's different. It's definitely more mano y mano, but I feel like we'll ready for it. It's a great challenge, and we've been preparing for match play all year. It brings a lot of different variables, and we'll just try to adapt to them and handle them the best we can."

Steven Fisk
Overall
"I got off to a really good start in the first round and played a really solid second round. With having to start last night and then come back this morning, I struggled a little bit today, but I had a little bit of a cushion and made some nice putts on the back nine to get it done."

On the playoff
"It was pretty cool that my teammate Jake and I were in the playoff but it was a little bit different. It was nice to have him there, and we kind of supported each other. I hit a really good drive and a really good second shot. It wasn't the best putt but good enough to get it done."

On match play
"It's definitely different but I think we're well prepared for it. It's a different mentality but you still have to play well and play the course."

Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics, twitter.com/GSAthletics, iOS app Georgia Southern Eagles and Android app Eagles GATA. Tickets to Georgia Southern athletics events can be purchased by visiting GSEagles.com/tickets.