Men鈥檚 golf sets school record with conference tourney score
The South Carolina men鈥檚 golf team finished second to Alabama at the 2013 SEC Championship held this weekend in St. Simons Island, Ga. The team was two strokes away from winning the program鈥檚 first SEC title, and a school record was set for the lowest 54-hole SEC Championship score.
The Gamecocks were in second place after the first round of the championship Friday, led by sophomore Caleb Sturgeon鈥檚 career-low 65. His round is also the lowest ever by a Gamecock at the SEC Championship. He finished the tournament at 5-under-par. Three of the golfers finished the day in the top five.
South Carolina ended Saturday in the lead with three strokes fewer than No. 2 Alabama, but the Crimson Tide pulled away Sunday.
麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 was tied with Alabama when Sturgeon triple-bogeyed at the 16th hole. He bounced back on the next two in order to give his team a chance, making par on the 17th and birdie on the 18th. But it was too little, too late.
鈥淗e had a great tournament and a runner-up finish in the best conference in the country individually is nothing to be ashamed of,鈥� coach Bill McDonald said.
McDonald said his triple bogey on the 16th was a 鈥渄ouble-edged sword鈥� for Sturgeon because it hurt his chances to win individually, as well as the team鈥檚 score. But McDonald said the Gamecocks 鈥渨ouldn鈥檛 have had the chance to win as a team if (Sturgeon) hadn鈥檛 played so well.鈥�
Senior Dykes Harbin tied for seventh, claiming his fourth top 10 finish this 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒.
鈥淗e鈥檚 our senior captain and does a great job, and I know he wants to go out on a high note,鈥� McDonald said.
Freshman Matt NeSmith made his first introduction to the SEC Championship and finished with a tie for 20th, his eighth top-20 finish of the 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒. Freshman Will Starke鈥檚 performance resulted in him tying for 63rd.
McDonald said he thought the freshmen did well, especially with tough conditions, calling the weekend 鈥済reat experience for them.鈥�
McDonald said the weekend was 鈥済reat preparation鈥� for the upcoming NCAA regionals. 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 will learn its fate May 6 and will be selected to compete in one of the following regionals: Baton Rouge, La.; Tallahassee, Fla.; Columbus, Ohio; Fayetteville, Ark.; Pullman, Wash.; or Tempe, Ariz.
鈥淕oing through that stress and pressure … should do nothing but help us for regional play,鈥� McDonald said.