EATONTON, Ga. – Powered by three individuals in the top-25, the Georgia College Golf squad tied for seventh Tuesday at their home tournament the 2018 Bobcat Invitational. The Bobcats carded a 292 today with rounds of 292 and 284 yesterday for plus-28 on the par-70, 6,730-yard Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee course.
The sixth-place finish is the best finish for Georgia College at this tournament since a fourth-place finish at the 2011 Bobcat Invitational.
Senior Justin Connelly (McDonough) fired the second-best round in the field today with a 68. Grouped with a 71 and 73 yesterday, he finished in seventh at two-over par. The finish was his second top-10 effort of the year. Connelly didn’t post a single bogey today, carding birdies on Nos. 2 and 5. Connelly had the most pars of any golfer in this year’s tourney, totaling 44 for the three rounds.
Second on the team and 11th overall was Austin Mancilla (Lawrenceville) at three over. The sophomore had two 73s wrapped around a second-round 67. Mancilla had nine birdies for the tournament.
Senior Thomas Hodges (Monroe) was 23rd in the 78-golfer field, finishing seven-over after rounds of 73, 71 and 73. It’s the senior’s fourth top-25 effort this year. Hodges also had nine birdies for the tournament.
Sophomore Drew Duffie (Evans) had rounds of 75, 73 and 78 to take 53rd at plus-16. Rounding out the starters was Daniel Davis (Columbus) the freshman posting an 81, 78 and 84 for 77th.
Sophomore Jake Minchew (Waycross) played as an individual with rounds of 79, 77 and 82 for 76th place.
Georgia College finished tied with national No. 6 Lynn University, and ahead of five teams ranked in the GolfStat Top-25. The Bobcats beat No. 8 Columbus State University, No. 12 Saint Leo University, No. 13 Rollins College, No. 17 Lander University and No. 17 Lander University.
Of the five teams ahead of the Bobcats, none were ranked any lower than the team champion No. 14 USC Aiken. The Pacers finished with a score of plus-six, two strokes ahead of No. 1 University of West Florida. Individual medalist honors went to Florida Southern College’s John VanDerLaan, who finished at four-under and beat USCA’s Johnson Holliday in a two-hole playoff.
The Bobcats are back in action Monday, March 26 at the Bearcat Classic in Greenwood, South Carolina.