The Georgia Bulldogs got off to a strong start to the 2016 Spring season, placing third in their season opener in Puerto Rico and winning the following week in Mexico.
In the victory in Cabo, the Bulldogs had three players score top-10 finishes, with Clarkesville senior Lee McCoy tying for second, Valdosta senior Sepp Straka placing sixth and Augusta junior Greyson Sigg tying for 10th.
The Bulldogs shot 18-under 834 to win by 10, highlighted by a 16-under 268 in the second round to take an 8-stroke lead going to the final day.
McCoy shot 69-68-68 for an 8-under 205 total to finish one behind the medalist. Straka was sixth at 207 including a tournament best 65 in the second round. Sigg shot 70-68-73 to finish at 211. Peachtree Corners sophomore Zach Healy opened with scores of 71-67 but fell back to a tie for 18th at 215 after struggling the final day.
The Bulldogs shot 13-under 851 in their 2016 opener in Puerto Rico, posting under par scores on all three rounds to finish 12 behind Alabama’s winning total.
Straka led the Bulldogs, tying for seventh at 5-under 211 with scores of 70-69-72. Healy was T11 at 71-72-70—213, with McCoy and Sigg tying for 19th at 214.
Georgia Tech also competed in Puerto Rico, placing sixth at 7-under 857. The Yellow Jackets were led by sophomore Chris Petefish, who tied for ninth at 212. Albany sophomore Jacob Joiner shot 68-71-74 and tied for 11th at 213. Junior Vince Whaley shot a second round 68 and tied for 27th at 216, with Acworth junior Michael Hines and Columbus sophomore James Clark both T44 at 222.
The Yellow Jackets opened their Fall schedule in Hawaii and placed 12th in a strong field at 1-over 865, 30 shots behind Southern Cal. Whaley had a strong tournament, tying for fifth at 9-under 207 with scores of 71-68-68. Hines and Clark tied for 52nd at 217, with Petefish and Alpharetta sophomore Michael Pisciotta both finishing well back.
Kennesaw State also opened its season in Hawaii, placing sixth in a different event also hosted by the U. of Hawaii. The Owls finished with an 879 total led by freshman Pablo Torres, who tied for 12th at 1-under 215. Sophomore Wyatt Larkin of Morganton tied for 26th at 218 and freshman Jake Fendt of Cumming had all three rounds count, shooting 226 to finish outside the top 50.
Georgia State and Mercer both played their 2016 openers in Mobile, with State shooting 5-under 859 at Magnolia Grove Crossings to finish fifth and the Bears last in the 15-team field at 887.
The Panthers were led by senior J.J. Grey, who tied for third at 5-under 211 with scores of 68-71-72. Sophomore Alex Herrmann closed with a 69 to tie for 17th at 216, with freshman Nick Budd of Woodstock T30 at 218. Lexington junior Nathan Mallonee shot 220 to finish T38.
Freshman Austin Connelly of McDonough was Mercer’s top player in the tournament, tying for 25th at 217. Freshmen Brennan Bogdanovich of Cumming and Stanton Schorr of Columbus were also in the lineup for the Bears.
Georgia Southern opened its Spring schedule by tying for 10th in Gainesville, Fla., with a 19-over 859 total. Freshman Steven Fisk of Stockbridge, who played well in the Fall for the Eagles, shot three consecutive rounds of par 70 to tie for 19th at 210. Griffin senior Henry Mabbett of Griffin shot 219 and had all three rounds count, including a second round 71.
Augusta played its first 2016 tournament in California and placed sixth with a 17-over 881 total. Senior Maverick Antcliff tied for sixth at 5-under 211 after a final round 69, with senior Robin Petersson T17 at 217 and junior Jake Marriott T26 at 220.