Ole Miss Posts Fourth-Place Finish At Lady Gator Invitational

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Ole Miss women’s golf team equaled the second-lowest three-round total (892) in school history, which was good enough to earn a fourth-place finish Sunday, at the SunTrust Lady Gator Invitational. The team kicked off the spring with its first top-five showing under first-year head coach Michele Drinkard.

Host Florida captured the team title with an 849. Louisville took second with an 872, and Wake Forest, the only team to go under par in the final round, claimed third with an 875. North Carolina rounded out the top five with an 898. Florida’s Tiffany Chudy won medalist honors with a 209.

Junior Dori Carter led the Lady Rebels, finishing tied for ninth with a 71-73-74—218. It marked her third top-10 finish of the year and ninth of her career.

Sophomore Sara Grantham posted a career-best 54-hole tournament score 73-71-77—221 to finish tied for 16^th, earning her third career top-20 finish. Her second-round 71 is also a career-low.

Freshman Jill Brodd joined Carter and Grantham in a tie for sixth coming into the final round, but struggled with an 83 to finish tied for 31^st at 71-73-83—227.

Junior Rachel Ingram (78-75-77—230) and senior Katherine Jones (88-76-79--243) rounded out the Lady Rebel scoring.

"We had a very humbling day on the golf course, but because we had played so strongly the first two rounds we had a fourth place finish in a very competitive field," Drinkard said. "We are very proud of Dori, Sara Jill, Rachel and Katherine for providing each other this great opportunity. To get the experience of playing in the final group with the No. 5 team in the country is something you can not simulate in practice. It's an experience that will help us the next time we are in that same position."

The Lady Rebels will return to the links March 7-9 at the Texas A&M “Mo”morial in Bryan, Texas.

Bulldogs Claim Roadrunner Intercollegiate Championship

SAN ANTONIO – The Mississippi State men's golf team claimed their first tournament championship since the 2006 fall season Tuesday, winning the Roadrunner Intercollegiate after a three-round score of 864 at the par-71 Oak Hills Country Club.

The Bulldogs had not won a tournament championship since the Callis Communications Intercollegiate in fall 2006, and has now won three tournaments overall in the Clay Homan era.

In round one this week, MState shot an 8-over-par 292 and stood in fifth place. The Bulldogs then rebounded in round two, firing a 275 - the fourth lowest round in school history - and moved into first place. The Bulldogs maintained the top position in round three after notching a 297, beating runner-up Texas Tech by nine strokes.

"We did not play as well today but the wind had a large role in that," said Homan. "We were able to hang in there and we did what we had to do to earn this win."

MSU's Noah Goldman claimed the individual championship of the event after a 1-under-par, three-round score of 212. The Longwood, Fla., native also notched a career-low, one-round score of 64 in round two.

"The second round really helped Noah (Goldman) and helped our team out," said Homan. "Noah was able to hang in there in the third round and pick up the individual title."

Senior Josh Oller tied for fifth after shooting 1-over-par with a 214, including a career-low 68 in round two. Senior Jake Lambert finished 11th with a 5-over-par 218, including a 1-under-par performance in round two. Junior Josh Bevell shot consistent rounds of 75, 74 and 72 for an 8-over-par showing. Junior Matt Fast tallied a 76, 73 and 80 through three rounds for the Bulldogs.

Runner-up Texas Tech finished nine strokes behind MSU with an 873, followed by Oklahoma with an 874. Wichita State tallied a score of 875 followed by Louisiana-Monroe going 29-over-par. Rounding out the field was Sam Houston State, Air Force, DePaul, host Texas-San Antonio, Central Arkansas, Stephen F. Austin State, Illinois State, Texas State, Marshall, Rhode Island, Texas-San Antonio (B-Team) and McNeese State.

MSU will resume competition on March 2 when the Bulldogs will travel to Tallahassee, Fla., to compete in the Seminole Intercollegiate.

Team Results
1.Mississippi State U. 292-275-297=864, +12 2. Texas Tech U. 286-287-300=873, +21 3. Oklahoma, U. of 291-297-286=874, +22 4. Witchita State U. 288-298-289=875, +23 5. Louisiana-Monroe, U. of 289-299-293=881, +29 6. Sam Houston State U. 300-285-302=887, +35 7. Air Force Academy 303-301-284=888, +36 T8. Texas-San Antonio, U. of 303-287-300=890, +38 T8. DePaul U. 303-299-288=890, +38 T10. Central Arkansas 305-290-301=896, +44 T10. Stephen F. Austin State 301-297-298=896, +44 12. Illinois State U. 302-302-300=904, +52 T13. Marshall U. 311-298-299=908, +56 T13. Texas State U. 306-299-303=908, +56 15. Rhode Island, U. of 305-303-312=920, + 68 16. Texas-San Antonio, U. of (B-Team) 326-296-299=921, +69 17. McNeese State U. 326-302-303=931, +79

MSU Individual Results
1 Noah Goldman 73-64-75=212, -1
T5 Josh Oller 71-68-75=214, +1
11 Jake Lambert 73-70-75=218, +5
T18 Josh Bevell 75-74-72=221, +8
T53 Matt Fast 76-73-80=229, +16