DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Augusta University men’s golf team finished first in the 16-team field to win the Gary Freeman Invitational at LPGA International Golf Club on Friday afternoon, while Augusta junior McCullough Pickens won the individual title.
This is the 62nd tournament win all time for the Jaguars and the eighth under head Jack O’Keefe. Individually, the Jags snagged first, second, sixth, ninth, and 18th. Augusta shot 14-over-par to win the title by 12 strokes. The tournament was scheduled for 36 holes on Thursday and 18 on Friday, but play was suspended on day one due to darkness. The Jaguars trailed Bethune-Cookman by seven shots after round one, but Augusta overtook the top of the leaderboard in round two and never surrendered the lead.
Host Bethune-Cookman took second, Robert Morris third, Sacred Heart fourth, and Fort Wayne fifth for the top teams.
Pickens paced Augusta and shot 73 (+1), 72 (E), and 71 (-1) to win his first tournament as a Jaguar. Jaguar junior Gustav Andersson tied for second after firing a round-three 68 (-4) to climb the leaderboard. Sophomore Alex Shead tied for sixth in his 2019 return for AU and freshmen Alex van Wyk and Viktor Lindgren rounded out the team in ninth and a tie for 18th. Pickens and Andersson were named to the All-Tournament team.
Augusta competes at the Linger Longer Invitational March 15-17 in Eatonton, Ga., at The Landings. The event is co-hosted by Kennesaw State and Mercer.