CAMBRIDGE, Md. ? Georgia Southern University opened the 2008-09 season with a sixth place team finish at the inaugural Maryland Intercollegiate Tournament. The 18-team event, shortened to 36 holes due to Tropical Storm Hanna, was played in two rounds Sunday (Sept. 7) at the River Marsh Golf Course at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Resort.
The Eagles followed their round one 292 with an even-par 284 in the afternoon. The two-round total of 576 placed Georgia Southern one stroke back of the host Terrapins.
Arkansas used identical rounds of 12-under 272 to finish at 544 and win the team standings by 20 strokes. North Carolina State was second at 564 with VCU in third at 565. North Carolina carded a 574 to finish fourth in a field which included Southern Conference members UNC Greensboro (10th, 586) and College of Charleston (11th, 589).
Senior Jordan Johnstun (Evans/LaGrange) shot 73 and 70 to finish in a tie for 17th overall. Fellow senior Drew Lethem (Camdenton, MO/Olathe East/Odessa CC) shot an opening-round 69 and followed with a 75 to finish in a tie for 23rd.
True-freshman Sean Brannan (Duncansville, PA/Hollidaysburg Area), got off to a rough start with a 78 in his first collegiate meet but rebounded to shoot a 67 - tying for the 23rd lowest round in program history. He tied for 30th overall.
Sophomore Joe Monte (Chantilly, VA/Chantilly) shot 75 and 72 to finish 39th. Junior Spencer Fulford (Rocky Mount, N.C./Southwest Edgecomb) tied for 53rd following identical rounds of 75.
“We were hoping for a top five finish. We went up there and with the craziness of the weather (Tropical Storm Hanna) it was a wild weekend,” said head coach Larry Mays. “It is our best start in a few years though. Drew got off to a good start and Jordan played solid all day long. We were breaking in a rookie (Sean), who had a rough first round then came back to shoot 4-under so that was a pretty strong showing for a freshman. Joe and Spencer were right there as well.”
The Eagles travel to Florence, South Carolina, next weekend (Sept. 15-16) to compete in the Raines Development Intercollegiate at The Country Club of South Carolina.
Maryland Intercollegiate (Par 71)
1. Arkansas (272-272) 544
2. North Carolina State (280-284) 564
3. VCU (289-276) 565
4. North Carolina (291-283) 574
5. Maryland (291-284) 575
6. Georgia Southern (292-284) 576
7. Virginia (295-283) 578
8. Texas State (280-299) 579
9. Kent State (295-289) 584
10. UNC Greensboro (290-296) 586
T-11. College of Charleston (295-294) 589
T-11. Georgetown (298-291) 589
13. St. John's (293-301) 594
14. William & Mary (308-287) 595
15. Old Dominion (290-306) 596
16. Navy (304-302) 606
17. Rhode Island (311-306) 617
18. California University (PA) (311-319) 630
Georgia Southern
T 17. Jordan Johnstun (73-70) 143
T 24. Drew Lethem (69-75) 144
T 30. Sean Brannan (78-67) 145
T 39. Joe Monte (75-72) 147
T 53. Spencer Fulford (75-75) 150
