Gamecocks Stage Final Round Comeback to Win J.T. Poston Invitational

WAYNESVILLE, N.C. – South Carolina stormed back from nine shots down entering today’s final round to win the 2026 J.T. Poston Invitational. It was a record setting day and week for freshman Tjelle Rieger as he shot 62 (-9) to lead the Gamecocks to victory at Waynesville Inn & Golf Club.

Rieger’s 62 in round three is the lowest, 18-hole score in program history. His 54-hole total of 197 (-16) is T-2^nd lowest 54-hole score in program history. Rieger finished solo second for his first career top-five finish in what was just his second collegiate start. The Hamburg, Germany native led the field with 20 birdies and also led the field in par-3 scoring average (2.87, -2).

Fellow freshman Tom De Herrypon shot 68 (-3) in round three today to move 28 spots up the individual leaderboard and help Carolina bring home the hardware. After starting 2-over, he was bogey free the rest of the way with two clutch birdies down the stretch.

Junior Marek Fleming finished T-18^th at 5-under for the tournament for his seventh career top-20 finish in 23 career starts for the Gamecocks. Sophomore Talan Harrison finished T-21^st at 4-under and fifth-year Ismael Encinas finished T-25^th alongside De Herrypon at 3-under.

Senior Brock Blais led a trio of Gamecock individuals competing this week as he finished T-4^th at 10-under with a 54-hole total of 203, a new career-low tournament mark. It’s Blais’ second top-five at South Carolina.

This week marked the first outright victory under third-year head coach Rob Bradley who led the program to the NCAA Championship in his first season in 2024-25. The team’s 821 (-31) total this week is T-6^th lowest 54-hole team score in program history. Carolina led the field with 70 birdies over the course of three rounds and also led the field in par-3 scoring average and par-5 scoring average (4.42, -35).

The Gamecocks return to action in two weeks to host the second edition of the Bryan Bros Collegiate (Sept. 28-29) at Solina Golf Club.

2026 J.T. Poston Invitational Gamecock Leaderboard
2. Tjelle Rieger – 197 (-16)
T4. Brock Blais* – 203 (-10)
T18. Marek Fleming – 208 (-5)
T21. Talan Harrison – 209 (-4)
T25. Ismael Encinas – 210 (-3)
T25. Tom De Herrypon – 210 (-3)
T64. Bo Carpenter* – 216 (+3)
T70. August Petersson* – 217 (+4)

* – playing as an individual

2026 J.T. Poston Invitational Final Leaderboard
1. South Carolina – 821 (-31)
T2. NC State – 826 (-26)
T2. Virginia Tech – 826 (-26)
4. Southern Miss – 828 (-24)
5. Lipscomb – 831 (-21)
6. UTRGV – 835 (-17)
7. Elon – 836 (-16)
8. Wisconsin – 838 (-14)
9. Wofford – 841 (-11)
10. Western Carolina – 842 (-10)
T11. Kennesaw State – 844 (-8)
T11. James Madison – 844 (-8)
13. Middle Tennessee State – 848 (-4)
14. Drexel – 859 (+7)
15. Jacksonville – 862 (+10)
16. Francis Marion – 869 (+17)
17. Western Carolina (B) – 884 (+32)

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