Georgia Tech came up one shot short of winning its third U.S. Collegiate Championship, played Oct. 18-20 at Golf Club of Georgia.
The Yellow Jackets, the No. 2 ranked team in the country, finished one stroke behind No. 9 Oklahoma State, which finished the 54-hole tournament with a 15-under 849 total.
Tech’s Ollie Schniederjans was the tournament medalist with a 10-under 206 total, but it was a bittersweet victory for the junior from Powder Springs.
Schniederjans, who has pulled out several tournament victories for the Yellow Jackets with final hole heroics, had a chance to give Tech a share of the team title, but his birdie try on the final hole just missed in the fading daylight. The start of the final round was delayed one hour by fog, resulting in a finish just after sunset.
“I would trade everything for the team to win,” Schniederjans said. “I care so much about this team. I’m bummed about my back nine costing us.”
Schniederjans began the final round four shots in front in the individual competition, and birdied four of the first five holes Sunday to increase his lead.
“I got out to a hot start today, which was awesome. But I struggled on the back nine.”
Schniederjans, who shot 4-under 32 on the front nine of Golf Club of Georgia’s Lakeside course all three days, shot 39 on the back nine Sunday with no birdies after scoring five birdies on the front.
“Sometimes you come up clutch, and sometimes you’re a lip-out away,” Schniederjans said. “I’ve had my share of both.”
Schniederjans posted scores of 66-69-71 to win medalist honors by four strokes. Teammate Anders Albertson of Woodstock was third at 211, and Bo Andrews tied for 10th at 213.
The Yellow Jackets shot 279 the first day to lead Oklahoma State by five shots, but fell one behind the Cowboys after a 287 in the second round. Both teams shot 284 the final day.
In four Fall tournaments, Georgia Tech won the annual Carpet Capital Collegiate outside Dalton and an event hosted by North Carolina in Chapel Hill. The Yellow Jackets were second behind host Mercer in Macon and in the USCC, finishing two shots behind Mercer in their other runner-up finish.
Beck leads Owls
to repeat victory
Kennesaw State repeated as tournament champion of the Pinetree Invitational, winning the recent event by eight strokes on the Owls’ home course. Kennesaw finished with an 872 total, with Winthrop 2nd at 880.
The Owls also won the inaugural Pinetree Invitational last year. Jimmy Beck, who earned medalist honors in 2012, placed 5th to lead the Owls to victory. Beck finished with an even par 216 total, three shots behind Winthrop’s Taylor Dickson. Three players tied for 2nd at 215.
Akron led Kennesaw by four strokes after the 36-hole first day of play, posting back-to-back scores of even par 288. The Owls trailed by eight shots after the first round, but shot a tournament low 284 in the afternoon round to cut the deficit in half. Akron struggled the next day and the Owls took advantage, shooting 292 the final day.
Beck, a Columbus resident who won the 2013 Georgia Amateur at Pinetree, shot 69 in the first round with teammates Kelby Burton of Evans and Teremoana Beaucousin both shooting 69 in the afternoon.
Beaucousin tied for 6th at 217, with Burton tying for 10th at 220. The Owls’ Jonathan Klotz tied for 20th at 224, with Evans’ Austin Vick contributing a final round 71.
Bulldogs 3rd at Crooked Stick: Georgia closed out its Fall schedule by placing 3rd in the Crooked Stick Intercollegiate in Indiana, six shots behind Arkansas.
Nicholas Reach tied for 5th for the Bulldogs at 220, but struggled the final round with a 77. Michael Cromie and Valdosta’s Sam Straka tied for 8th at 221, with Keith Mitchell T12 at 222 and Clarkesville’s Lee McCoy T17 at 224.