HPU Men’s Golf: MacDougall Wins Big South Title, HPU Places Third

• Sophomore Brendan MacDougall carded a final-round -5 (67) to become the first Panther to collect the Big South Championship Medalist honor.
• MacDougall’s 203 (73-63-67) is the second-lowest 54-hole total in Big South Championship history passing world No. 1 Dustin Johnson’s 204 from the 2007.
• Sophomore Alec Weary closed his weekend with a 72 (E) to place fifth to make it two Panthers in the top-5 for the first time at the conference championship.
• High Point shot an 876 (298-285-293) to produce its best 54-hole score at the Big South Championship and tied the 2006 squad for the best finish (third.)

NINETY SIX, S.C. – High Point University men’s golf sophomore Brendan MacDougall fired a final-round 67 to win the first individual Big South Championship in program history on Sunday at the Patriot at Grand Harbor.

MacDougall’s 203 (73-63-67) is second-lowest mark in the event’s history passing Dustin Johnson’s 204 from 2007, but coming one stroke shy of Campbell’s Jesper Sveenson’s 202 from last spring. The win was the first of MacDougall’s collegiate career.

As a team, the Panthers placed third to tie the 2006 team for the program’s best finish posting HPU’s best mark at the Big South’s event with an 876 (298-285-293). Last spring, in Gregor’s first season, the Panthers improved by 32 strokes from 2016 and then improved by 23 more strokes this season.

For the first time in program history, two members of the Purple & White finished in the top-5 as sophomore Alec Weary finished in fifth.

“It has been a special week for the team as a whole down here, but most importantly we made a statement this weekend,” head coach Brady Gregor said. “We made it clear that High Point is in this conference to compete to win it. What Brendan did the last two days was unbelievable playing his last 41 holes at 17-under par while threatening the conference record. Also, that can’t overshadow what Alec did earning his best career finish wrapping up the tournament under par. These guys deserve everything they earned this weekend and I’m excited to see the direction of the program and can’t wait to see the success we can have in the future.”

After starting the weekend four-over through 11 holes, MacDougall went on an incredible run. Including a nine-birdie, bogey-free round on Saturday, the Calgary, Alberta product recorded 18 birdies over the next 43 holes without a bogey to head to the 53rd hole tied with Sveenson’s record at 14-under. Despite a bogey on 17 to snap the streak, MacDougall recovered to par 18 and close out his first career win by an impressive six strokes.

“This is an amazing moment for me,” MacDougall said. “It’s been a hard week after our last event and I learned a lot about myself and my game over the past few days. None of this would have been possible without my coach or my teammates and the support they gave me.”

MacDougall’s 203 is the lowest 54-hole total in program history passing a record he set earlier this season with a 205 at the Elon Phoenix Invitational. Meanwhile, his -5 (67) is tied with Weary’s mark from Saturday for the seventh-best round in HPU history.

Following MacDougall, Weary recorded his second 72 of the weekend sandwiched around a 67 to become the seventh Panther to finish in the top-5 of the Big South title. If it weren’t for MacDougall, Weary’s 211 (72-67-72) would’ve been the lowest round at the event in HPU history.

MacDougall led the field in birdies (19), par-3 scoring (2.83) and par-4 scoring (3.80) while Weary was second in birdies (16) and par-5 scoring (4.50). Only Campbell and Liberty finished with more birdies or scored better on the course’s par-5 than High Point.

MacDougall made the All-Big South Team and, along with Weary, earned a spot on the All-Championship Team. Junior Davis Kiger also garnered an individual honor making the All-Academic squad.

Posting his best round of the weekend, Kiger shot a +4 (76) and tied for 35th overall (79-77-76, 232). While Kiger improved by one stroke from last year’s Big South Championship, senior Emile Menard repeated with a 235 (79-78-78) to tie for 41st.

Rounding out the lineup, sophomore RJ Bartolomucci finished the weekend tied for 42nd (74-81-85, 240).

Liberty claimed the team title with an 848 while Campbell (867) rounded out the top-2 in front of the Panthers. Meanwhile, it was Liberty’s Alexandre Fuches and Mickey DeMoray came in second tied at -8 (209).

High Point finishes the season with program records in birdies (380), eagles (12) and posted the fourth-lowest scoring average. Similarly, Menard rounds out his career with 185 birdies, which ranks seventh in the program’s history.

The individual title qualifies MacDougall for the NCAA Regional on May 14-16. MacDougall will learn the location of his regional outing on May 2 at 5:30 p.m. on the NCAA Selection Show aired by the Golf Channel.