STATESBORO – Georgia Southern senior Jake Storey topped Wilson Furr of Alabama in a 2-hole playoff to win his second straight GS Individual Collegiate at Georgia Southern University Golf Course Monday.
Storey and Furr both parred the par-5 1st, and Storey was off the green following his approach on hole 18, the second playoff hole. The senior chipped to within two feet to make par, while Furr made bogey.
A deluge of rain shortened the event to 36 holes from its scheduled 54. Players were delayed for two hours after nine holes Sunday and came back out to get the first 18 in before coming back for 18 holes today.
Four Eagles finished in the top-20. Storey shot 73-71=144 (E), and Brett Barron shot 75-72=147 (+3) to place seventh. Avery Price posted 72-76=148 (+4) to tie for eighth, and Luukas Alakulppi shot 78-73=151 (+7) to tie for 14th. Archer Price shot 76-78=154, Alexander DeRosa carded 76-79=155, Crawford Simmons shot 81-75=156, Jonas Vaisanen carded 80-78=158 and Jacob Bayer posted 81-82=163.
The story
Storey was 4-over through the tournament, trailing Ohio State’s Will Voetsch and Eagle Avery Price through eight holes today. Storey birdied 9, eagled 11 and birdied 12 to make up the four shots in four holes. He also birdied 15 to take a lead but made bogey on 18 to set up the playoff with Furr. Furr fired a 67 today, the low round of the tournament by two strokes.
Quotables from coach Carter Collins
“That’s a golf course where you have to have your complete game to be successful, and Jake showed that as well as his killer instinct. He was down four shots after eight holes in the final round and found a way to get into the playoff. He played incredible golf this week and really turned it on when he had a chance to win.”
“Last year, this event was a springboard for him that he’s been riding since then, and this win is a continuation of that progress. These wins are not a byproduct of Jake playing well, I think they are a byproduct of Jake being a very good player. I think great things are ahead for him in his last semester.”
“The Gator has one of the best fields we will see all spring so we’ll have to earn everything we get. We’ve been working hard to be ready for it, and I expect us to execute at a very high level.”
Next up
The Eagles continue the spring season at the Gator Invitational Feb. 17-18 at Mark Bostick Golf Course in Gainesville, Fla.
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