College Men’s Golf Results – Greensboro College Takes 5th at USA South Championships

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – Greensboro College placed fifth among nine teams at the USA South Athletic Conference Men’s Golf Championships Friday. The Pride shot 316 in Friday’s final 18 holes to finish at 946 (+82), 26 strokes off the lead and six shots behind fourth-place Averett University.

Piedmont College held off third-ranked Huntingdon College’s late charge to claim the league title. The Lions, rated sixth in this week’s Golfstat Division III Men’s Golf Rankings, carded a 306 in Friday’s final 18 holes to finish at 920 for the two-day tourney, four strokes ahead of the Hawks. Huntingdon shot the tournament’s low round (294) over Friday’s final 18 holes.

Due to forecast rain on Saturday, the teams played 27 holes on two straight days at the par-72, 6,525-yard Benvenue Country Club. The tournament featured seven squads ranked among the top-19 teams in the current Golfstat Rankings, including the 13th-ranked Pride and second-ranked Methodist University, which placed third in the tourney at 932.

Piedmont’s Ben Balen and Methodist’s Cooper Hrabak both shot nine-over-par for the tournament to share medalist honors. Hrabak’s final-round 72 vaulted him three spots into a share of the individual title with Balen, the 36-hole leader. Both golfers finished at 225.

Greensboro senior Zane Smith had the Pride’s low score over 54 holes with a 17-over-par total of 233 (78-78-77), good for a share of ninth place in the 48-man field. Smith’s 77 marked the team’s low round Friday and helped him climb four spots on the individual leaderboard. Sophomore teammate Jerrion Dukes, who had Greensboro’s best effort through 27 holes, shot 77-79-78-234 and shared 11th place with three other golfers. The Pride’s Davis Reynolds turned in a seven-over 79 in his final round to share 15th place at 78-78-79-234. Teammates Connor Brown (81-85-82) and Zach Swink (82-81-85) both fired 248 for the tournament and placed 30th.

Coach Jim Cantamessa’s team now awaits word of a possible at-large selection to the 43-team NCAA Division III Championships May 11-14 in Wheeling, West Virginia. Six at-large individual golfers not affiliated with any of the 43 teams will also participate in the championships. The final national rankings will be completed May 3, after which the field will be announced on NCAA.com.

Courtesy of Dave Walters, in for Greensboro College Sports Information Director Bryan Jones