WILMINGTON, N.C. — Georgia’s Trent Phillips earned medalist honors for the third time in his collegiate career as he posted a 6-shot victory on Tuesday in the inaugural Williams Cup presented by STITCH Golf.
On Eagle Point Golf Club’s par-72, 7,364-yard layout, Phillips closed with a 4-under 68 for a total of 15-under 201. The senior was six clear of North Carolina’s David Ford (whose brother Maxwell plays for the Bulldogs) and seven past Maximilian Steinlechner of NC State.
Phillips previously won the 2019 Ka’anapali Collegiate Classic and the 2020 Gators Invitational. Phillips pulled even with Brendon Todd with his 19th top-10 finish, good enough for eighth on the Bulldogs’ all-time list.
Over the course of his three Williams Cup loops, Phillips recorded 20 birdies. In the first round on Monday, he had a bogey-free 8-under 64 to match his career-best loop and set Eagle Point’s course record (which was eclipsed by Steinlechner’s second-round 9-under 63).
“I really started to find my game last week and was ready to compete,” said Phillips, who capped the fall with a 69.22 scoring average. “It translated well to this tournament. I am excited to get this win. Our team also had a good week, which is awesome.”
As the Williams Cup medalist, Phillips will receive an exemption to compete in the Korn Ferry Tour’s Rex Hospital Open at TPC Wakefield Plantation in Raleigh, N.C., June 2-5, 2022. Said Phillips, who will turn pro following the NCAA Championships, “I’m very grateful for that start.”
As a team, the Bulldogs came in second to tournament host North Carolina. Georgia fired a final-round 5-under 283 for a total of 856. The Tar Heels landed at 17-under 847, while Vanderbilt took third at 1-under 863.
Freshman Buck Brumlow followed Phillips at 2-under 70, while junior Nicolas Cassidy signed for an even-par 72 and freshman Maxwell Ford had a 1-over 73. Junior Connor Creasy had the Bulldogs’ non-counting score of 6-over 78.
Brumlow came in a career-best fifth at 2-under 214, while Ford finished at 5-over 221, Creasy checked in at 10-over 226, and Cassidy posted an 11-over 227.
Playing as an individual, senior Will Kahlstorf closed with a 2-over 74 to wind up at 7-over 223.
The Tar Heels named the Williams Cup in honor of Roy Williams, who retired in April after 18 seasons as North Carolina’s men’s basketball coach, and his wife, Wanda.
The Bulldogs will compete next in the Southwestern Invitational in Westlake Village, Calif., Jan. 24-26, 2022. News and updates can be found on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at @UGAGolf.