Eagles Defend Title at SpringHill Suites Intercollegiate
9/15/2009 10:37:00 PM | Men's Golf
FLORENCE, S.C. –Following a 2008 championship in which Georgia Southern set the team tournament course record, top Eagle Spencer Fulford succeeded in 2009 by setting the single-round tournament and competitive course record, helping the Eagles defend their title at the SpringHill Suites Intercollegiate. Georgia Southern shot a 6-under 282 in the third round to capture its first tournament title of the new season with a composite 847 (-17) team total.
“It was an exciting day for the team. The win was a complete team effort and I'm extremely proud of the guys,” said Eagle head coach Larry Mays. “Today, we had all five guys in the running. Last night, I told the team we needed that solid fourth score to win and today, they proved it.”
For the final round, Georgia Southern had four of five players even par or better, led by redshirt-freshman Florian Sander with a 3-under 69. Senior Fulford followed his tournament and competitive course record 63 second round with a 2-under par 70, while junior Joe Monte fired a sub-par 71. Fellow junior Logan Blondell finished the tournament matching his opening round even-par 72. Senior Ryan Zabroske rounded out the Eagles' lineup, posting a 1-over par 73 on the par 72, 7,062 yard Country Club of South Carolina.
The Eagles entered the final round in third place, five strokes out the lead and took the title edging Southern Conference foe Western Carolina by two strokes, 847-to-849. USC Aiken, who held the advantage after two rounds, slipped into third place shooting a final round 292, completing a tournament-total 852.
Georgia Southern's 847 tied the fourth best, three-round tournament total in program history, which was set in the 2009 NCAA Southeast Regional.
Capturing individualist honors were Elon's Jayson Judy and Appalachian State's Casey Johnson. No tiebreak was played as each participant carded 207s through three rounds to share first place. Fulford and WCU's Tanner Briele finished one stroke behind the leaders with 208s in third.
Fulford gained one spot on the individual leader board to pace the Eagles with a third-place tie at 8-under 208. The Rocky Mount, N.C., native succeeded his career-low round of 18 in the second round, with a 2-under par 70. Fulford's final 18 scorecard was highlighted by birdies on 15 and 16. The senior Eagle shared third-place with Western Carolina's Tanner Briele.
Owning two of the Eagles' lowest rounds of the tournament, newcomer Sander opened his collegiate career showcasing a 'Top 10' finish, placing tied for ninth alongside fellow Eagle Logan Blondell. Sander (Bregenz, Austria) posted the Eagles' low round of the day with a 3-under 69. The redshirt-freshman capped off the final 18 with a birdie on the last hole. Junior Blondell sandwiched even-par 72s around a second-round 69. The Lakeland, Fla., native recorded his first 'Top 10' finish of the 2009-2010 season with a tournament-total 213 (-3).
Junior Monte (Chantilly, Va.) tied for 30th after bookending his three rounds with 1-under par 71s. The Eagle finished the tournament at 1-over 217. Rounding out Georgia Southern's lineup, senior Zabroske repeated his second round 73 to finish tied for 42nd. Zabroske, from Alpharetta, Ga., closed out the tournament at 4-over 220.
Competing as an individual, redshirt-junior Coleman Calhoun (Vidalia, Ga.) shot a final round 81 to tie for 81st at 235.
“The whole team played well today. Highlights of the tournament were definitely Spencer's record round yesterday and Florian putting in two quality rounds,” stated Mays. “Spencer kept us in the game with his 63 yesterday, which is a tough round to back up, and he played well today. Florian's two solid rounds is huge for us. He became the extra bat in the lineup, solidifying our lineup.”
Georgia Southern has a quick turnaround, returning to the course at the Adams Cup of Newport Collegiate, September 21-22. The tournament takes place in Newport, R.I.
“The team chemistry was around this weekend,” Mays said. “This tournament gave us good momentum heading into the Newport tournament. After our season-opening performance, we were a little down, but this win put us right back on track.”
“It was an exciting day for the team. The win was a complete team effort and I'm extremely proud of the guys,” said Eagle head coach Larry Mays. “Today, we had all five guys in the running. Last night, I told the team we needed that solid fourth score to win and today, they proved it.”
For the final round, Georgia Southern had four of five players even par or better, led by redshirt-freshman Florian Sander with a 3-under 69. Senior Fulford followed his tournament and competitive course record 63 second round with a 2-under par 70, while junior Joe Monte fired a sub-par 71. Fellow junior Logan Blondell finished the tournament matching his opening round even-par 72. Senior Ryan Zabroske rounded out the Eagles' lineup, posting a 1-over par 73 on the par 72, 7,062 yard Country Club of South Carolina.
The Eagles entered the final round in third place, five strokes out the lead and took the title edging Southern Conference foe Western Carolina by two strokes, 847-to-849. USC Aiken, who held the advantage after two rounds, slipped into third place shooting a final round 292, completing a tournament-total 852.
Georgia Southern's 847 tied the fourth best, three-round tournament total in program history, which was set in the 2009 NCAA Southeast Regional.
Capturing individualist honors were Elon's Jayson Judy and Appalachian State's Casey Johnson. No tiebreak was played as each participant carded 207s through three rounds to share first place. Fulford and WCU's Tanner Briele finished one stroke behind the leaders with 208s in third.
Fulford gained one spot on the individual leader board to pace the Eagles with a third-place tie at 8-under 208. The Rocky Mount, N.C., native succeeded his career-low round of 18 in the second round, with a 2-under par 70. Fulford's final 18 scorecard was highlighted by birdies on 15 and 16. The senior Eagle shared third-place with Western Carolina's Tanner Briele.
Owning two of the Eagles' lowest rounds of the tournament, newcomer Sander opened his collegiate career showcasing a 'Top 10' finish, placing tied for ninth alongside fellow Eagle Logan Blondell. Sander (Bregenz, Austria) posted the Eagles' low round of the day with a 3-under 69. The redshirt-freshman capped off the final 18 with a birdie on the last hole. Junior Blondell sandwiched even-par 72s around a second-round 69. The Lakeland, Fla., native recorded his first 'Top 10' finish of the 2009-2010 season with a tournament-total 213 (-3).
Junior Monte (Chantilly, Va.) tied for 30th after bookending his three rounds with 1-under par 71s. The Eagle finished the tournament at 1-over 217. Rounding out Georgia Southern's lineup, senior Zabroske repeated his second round 73 to finish tied for 42nd. Zabroske, from Alpharetta, Ga., closed out the tournament at 4-over 220.
Competing as an individual, redshirt-junior Coleman Calhoun (Vidalia, Ga.) shot a final round 81 to tie for 81st at 235.
“The whole team played well today. Highlights of the tournament were definitely Spencer's record round yesterday and Florian putting in two quality rounds,” stated Mays. “Spencer kept us in the game with his 63 yesterday, which is a tough round to back up, and he played well today. Florian's two solid rounds is huge for us. He became the extra bat in the lineup, solidifying our lineup.”
Georgia Southern has a quick turnaround, returning to the course at the Adams Cup of Newport Collegiate, September 21-22. The tournament takes place in Newport, R.I.
“The team chemistry was around this weekend,” Mays said. “This tournament gave us good momentum heading into the Newport tournament. After our season-opening performance, we were a little down, but this win put us right back on track.”
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