Gamecocks Take Third at Bayou City Collegiate Championships

Feb. 23, 2014

Results

HUMBLE, Texas — The 25th-ranked South Carolina men’s golf team opened the spring in strong fashion by claiming third place at the Bayou City Collegiate Championships on Sunday afternoon at the Golf Club of Houston.

The Gamecocks fired an 8-under 280 in the final round to wrap up the event with a total of 851 (-13). Tournament host Houston claimed the team title with a total of 833 (-31), while Texas finished runner-up with a score of 841 (-23).

South Carolina has now finished third or better in four straight events, including two wins. It matches last year’s stretch of four consecutive top-three finishes as the most by a Gamecock team since finishing third or better in six straight events during the spring schedule of 1999.

“I am really pleased with how everyone played this week,” South Carolina head coach Bill McDonald said. “We had great contributions from all five guys. Aside from some lapses in the middle of the round yesterday, I thought we played some very good golf for the entire tournament.”

Juniors Will Murphy and Caleb Sturgeon and sophomores Matt NeSmith and Will Starke all carded a 2-under 70 for the Gamecocks on Sunday, while junior Blaine Woodruff closed out the weekend with a 74 (+2).

NeSmith, Woodruff and Murphy all just missed out on a top-20 finish as they tied for 21st with totals of 215 (-1). Sturgeon tied for 33rd with a total of 216 (E), and Starke tied for 36th with a score of 217 (+1).

A native of North Augusta, S.C., NeSmith turned in his second-straight 70, recording four birdies and a pair of bogeys on the afternoon.

Murphy, who tallied five birdies and three bogeys, was 2-over through eight holes but he played outstanding golf to close out the round, going 4-under in his final 10 holes.

Woodruff was even par through 17 holes, but a double bogey on No. 18 dropped him back to 2-over heading into the clubhouse.

After starting his day with back-to-back bogeys, Sturgeon played the rest of the way at 4-under with six birdies and two bogeys.

Starke finished his round with just one blemish on the scorecard, a bogey on the par-4 17th, while recording three birdies.

Arkansas (855) and Baylor (856) finished fourth and fifth, respectively, to round out the top five. Houston’s Roman Robledo claimed medalist honors with a total of 204 (-12).

The Gamecocks will return to action on March 10-11 at the Palmetto Intercollegiate. The 54-hole event will be held at the historic Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken, S.C. South Carolina finished runner-up at last season’s Palmetto Intercollegiate and placed third in 2012.

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTST21. Matt NeSmith (1)       75-70-70=215 (-1)T21. Will Murphy (4)     70-75-70=215 (-1)T21. Blaine Woodruff (5) 75-66-74=215 (-1)T33. Caleb Sturgeon (2)       68-78-70=216 (E)T36. Will Starke (3)     75-72-70=217 (+1)
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS1. Houston          280-277-276=833 (-31)2. Texas            285-281-275=841 (-23)3. South Carolina        288-283-280=851 (-13)4. Arkansas             287-286-282=855 (-9)5. Baylor           288-286-282=856 (-8)6. Rice             288-293-280=861 (-3)7. New Mexico State         294-289-285=868 (+4)8. Charlotte            293-292-284=869 (+5)9. UTSA             292-292-288=872 (+8)10. South Florida       293-286-294=873 (+9)T11. Louisiana Tech         290-286-299=875 (+11)T11. Mississippi State      289-289-297=875 (+11)13. Louisiana           295-299-286=880 (+16)14. Lamar           298-295-291=884 (+20)15. Houston Baptist         295-300-293=888 (+24)