Georgia Southern Claims Men's Golf Title

PINEHURST, N.C. – Georgia Southern shot a 5-over 293 on Tuesday to edge Chattanooga for a one-stroke win at the Southern Conference Men’s Golf Championship at the par-72, 7,122-yard National Golf Course, while Western Carolina’s J.T. Poston shot an even-par 72 to hold off the hard-charging Chris Robb of Chattanooga for medalist honors.

Georgia Southern claimed the SoCon’s automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals, which will be played May 15-17. Poston earned the league’s automatic individual bid. Their destinations will be revealed at 10 a.m. May 5 on the Golf Channel.

Georgia Southern, ranked 47th nationally, turned in a 9-over 873 (296-284-293) over the course of the three-day championship for its fourth league title and first since 2011. Chattanooga finished one back at 874 (297-284-293) after matching the Eagles with a 293 Tuesday.

GSU and UTC entered the day in second and third place, respectively, but overtook first- and second-round leader Western Carolina early Tuesday. The teams traded the lead throughout the day, and Robb rolled in a 40-foot birdie putt on 17 to close the Mocs’ deficit to just one stroke entering the final hole. With the team championship on the line, Robb’s 25-foot birdie try on 18, which would have tied the teams and sent them to a playoff, rolled just over the hole, securing the team win for the Eagles.

Georgia Southern was led by Charlie Martin’s adventurous 1-under 71 on Tuesday. Martin had nine birdies in the third round but also had a bogey and three double-bogeys and finished with an even-par 216 for the tournament to claim fourth place. Will Evans tied for sixth at 2-over 218 (71-72-75) and Scott Wolfes tied for ninth at 3-over 219 (77-66-76) to give the Eagles three players in the top 10. GSU’s Hayden Anderson notched a hole-in-one on the 160-yard, par-3 ninth Tuesday, hitting a 5-iron for his second ace of the season. Anderson finished in a tie for 21st at 8-over 224 (73-78-73) after his 1-over 73 Tuesday.

In the individual medalist race, UTC’s Robb turned in a bogey-free round of 7-under 65 Tuesday, the lowest round in the SoCon tournament since 2001, to nearly chase down Poston. The Catamount junior, who brought an eight-stroke lead into the final day of play, completed his wire-to-wire win, however, finishing with a 10-under 206 for the tournament (68-66-72).

Robb settled for runner-up honors with an 8-under 208 (74-69-65).

Poston, the 13th-ranked golfer nationally, was named the SoCon Player of the Year after the conclusion of the championship, earning the maximum possible number of votes in the voting of the league’s 10 head coaches.

UNCG also finished strongly, moving up a spot to finish third in the team standings with a 4-over 292 Tuesday and a three-day mark of 877 (300-285-292). The Spartans had two players finish in the top 10, led by Roy Dixon’s third-place finish. Dixon was consistent throughout the tournament, posting 1-under 71s in each round. Carter Jenkins, who was tabbed the SoCon Freshman of the Year, turned in a 4-over 76 Tuesday to finish at 2-over 218 (72-70-76) and in a tie for sixth place.

Western Carolina struggled to a 14-over 302 Tuesday to drop from first to fourth in the final standings at 878 (294-282-302), one shot back of UNCG. Davidson finished fifth with a consistent 880 (294-293-293) as the Wildcats had two top-10 finishers of their own. Richard Fountain was fifth at 1-over 217 (75-68-74), while David Sargent tied for ninth at 3-over 219 (70-75-74).

Furman and Wofford tied for Tuesday’s low round with identical 5-under 283s. The Paladins finished sixth at 882 (296-303-283), while the Terriers were next in line at 892 (306-303-283). Wofford’s Cory Taylor fashioned a bogey-free, 6-under 66 on Tuesday to climb from a tie for 26th into a tie for sixth in the individual standings, finishing with a 2-over 218 (76-76-66). Furman’s Michael Borton jumped up two spots into a tie for ninth, turning in a 1-under 71 Tuesday for a 3-over 219 (75-73-71).

Appalachian State turned in a 293 Tuesday to move up two spots to eighth place (310-310-293=913), while Elon (316-294-306=916) and Samford (314-304-307=925) rounded out the field.

GSU coach Larry Mays was named the SoCon Coach of the Year for the third time in his career and first time since 2009.


SoCon Player of the Year
J.T. Poston, Western Carolina

SoCon Freshman of the Year
Carter Jenkins, UNCG

SoCon Coach of the Year
Larry Mays, Georgia Southern

All-Southern Conference
Richard Fountain, Davidson
Will Evans, Georgia Southern
Charlie Martin, Georgia Southern
Scott Wolfes, Georgia Southern
Taylor Coalson, UNCG
Roy Dixon, UNCG
Carter Jenkins, UNCG
Liam Johnston, Chattanooga
Chris Robb, Chattanooga
J.T. Poston, Western Carolina

All-Freshman
Bryce Howell, Furman
Carter Jenkins, UNCG
Wes Gosselin, Chattanooga
Ewan Scott, Chattanooga
Andrew Novak, Wofford


2014 Southern Conference Men’s Golf Championship
National Golf Club
Par-72, 7,122 yards
Pinehurst, N.C.

Top 10 individuals
1    J.T. Poston, Western Carolina    68-66-72=206
2    Chris Robb, Chattanooga    74-69-65=208
3    Roy Dixon, UNCG    71-71-71=213
4    Charlie Martin, Georgia Southern    75-70-71=216
5    Richard Fountain, Davidson 75-68-74=217
T6    Carter Jenkins, UNCG    72-70-76=218
T6    Will Evans, Georgia Southern    71-72-75=218
T6    Cory Taylor, Wofford 76-76-66=218
T9    David Sargent, Davidson 70-75-74=219
T9    Michael Borton, Furman    75-73-71=219
T9    Scott Wolfes, Georgia Southern    77-66-76=219

Team standings
1    Georgia Southern    296-284-293=873
2    Chattanooga    297-284-293=874
3    UNCG    300-285-292=877
4    Western Carolina    294-282-302=878
5    Davidson College    294-293-293=880
6    Furman    296-303-283=882
7    Wofford College    306-303-283=892
8    Appalachian State    310-310-293=913
9    Elon    316-294-306=916
10    Samford    314-304-307=925