PINE MOUNTAIN - The Georgia Southwestern golf team had its best showing in school history at the Peach Belt Conference Championships as the Hurricanes finished in fourth place at the 11-team event held over the weekend at Callaway Gardens. Matthew Whittaker earned All-Tournament honors as he led the Hurricanes with a 2-over par 218 total.
GSW entered Sunday's final round tied for second, seven strokes behind the leader No. 3 USC Aiken.
The Hurricanes dropped to third after the opening nine holes on Sunday after shooting a combined 4-over on the par-72, 7,057-yard Mountain View Course, only one stroke off the pace of the leader. However, the final nine holes were unkind to GSW as the Hurricanes combined to shoot 11-over down the stretch allowing Armstrong to jump GSW for third place in the final standings.
Andrew Ritchot fired the Hurricanes low round of the day with a 2-under par 70. Ritchot posted birdies on five of his final 11 holes, including the 18th, to end the tournament on a positive note.
Ritchot matched Whittaker for the team's low round of the tournament. Whittaker fired a 70 in Round 2. Whittaker tied for third in the 55-player field, six strokes behind the individual medalist Matt Atkins from USC Aiken.
All-PBC First Team selection Nate Gahman tied for 12th with a 5-over 221. Ritchot joined Gahman with a 221 (74-77-70). Anders Olsson tied for 32nd with a 229 total and All-PBC First Team selection, J.P. Griffin, tied for 41st with a 234.
GSW's previous top showing at the PBC Championships was a sixth-place finish obtained last spring. With Whittaker earning All-Tourney honors, GSW has now placed an individual in the Top 3 in two-consecutive seasons. Craig Gibson tied for third in 2012.
The Hurricanes will now have to wait to see if they receive an invitation to the 2013 NCAA South/Southeast Regional. The field for the regional will be unveiled at 4 p.m. on Friday, April 26.
2013 PEACH BELT CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS - TEAM SCORES
Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Total | ||
(3) USC Aiken |
300 | 282 |
291 |
873 |
+9 |
(10) Columbus State | 298 | 291 |
286 |
875 |
+11 |
(12) Armstrong Atlantic |
302 |
289 |
295 |
886 | +22 |
(22) Georgia Southwestern |
297 |
292 |
299 |
888 | +24 |
(RV) Clayton State |
306 | 290 |
294 |
890 | +26 |
(15) Georgia College |
301 | 293 |
303 |
897 | +33 |
Montevallo |
295 | 303 |
304 |
902 | +38 |
Lander | 302 | 299 | 302 | 903 | +39 |
(RV) North Georgia |
309 | 297 |
309 |
915 | +51 |
(RV) Flagler |
311 | 305 |
314 |
930 | +66 |
(RV) UNC Pembroke |
316 |
317 |
312 |
945 |
+81 |
( ) - NCAA Division II ranking in latest Golf World/Nike Golf Coaches Poll with RV = received votes |
GSW SCORES
Place | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Total | ||
T3 |
Matthew Whittaker |
75 | 70 |
73 |
218 | +2 |
T12 |
Nate Gahman |
74 | 69 | 78 |
221 | +5 |
T12 | Andrew Ritchot |
74 |
77 |
70 |
221 | +5 |
T32 | Anders Olsson |
74 | 76 |
79 |
229 | +13 |
T41 | J.P. Griffin | 75 | 81 |
78 |
234 | +18 |