VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. – Sylas Elliott led the University of South Alabama men's golf program in the final round of the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate, posting an even-par 70 Tuesday as the Jaguars recorded their third straight team score of 289 at the event hosted by Alabama.

With an 867 two-day total, the Jags placed ninth out of 12 teams in the competition, which was won by Auburn with an even-par 840 score.  The Tigers finished one stroke in front of Nevada-Las Vegas and seven ahead of Baylor, with Alabama-Birmingham (856) and the Crimson Tide (858) rounding out the top five.

After carding a 73 over the last 18 holes, Peter Staalbo recorded a 1-over-par 211 score to tie for 13th place among the 60 individuals in the field.  Rasmus Karlsson had a 74 in the final round and a 218 54-hole total to end up tied for 26th, with Elliott tying for 28th place one shot behind the freshman.  Jason Mendel recorded his best score of the season for the second straight round — carding a 72 on the last day of play — to tie for 43rd with a 223 total, while Yannick Schütz posted a 54-hole score of 229 to end up in 57th place.

John Oda of UNLV was the tournament medalist with a 7-under-par 203 three-round score, as he ended up one shot ahead of Charlotte's Conor Purcell.  Just eight players in the field were below par after 54 holes.

"We got off to a terrible start, I think we were 9 or 10 over through our first five holes," said Jag head coach Alex Hamilton.  "The guys fought really hard, we got it back to about 4 over — playing some really good golf in the middle portion of the round — as the guys got it going; Sylas made three birdies in five holes, Rasmus did about the same, Jason was solid all day long.  It was a little bit of a rough finish by some of the guys, but Peter closed strong to finish off another solid golf tournament.

"It was an up-and-down round all around."

Elliott's final round at the par-70, 7,209-yard Old Overton Country Club saw three of his four birdies carded on the back nine of the course.  Teeing off on No. 10, the junior rebounded from a bogey on his second hole with threes at the par-four 13th and 15th holes — playing at 448 and 318 yards, respectively — and with a two at No. 17 was 2 under at the turn.  His last birdie came on the 425-yard fifth, helping him move up 17 spots in the final standings.

"Sylas had a very good round, he played solid all day long," explained Hamilton.  "Even par finished just outside the top 10 for the day, any time you can shoot par around that golf course — which is a very difficult test, especially with the wind blowing the way it was today — that's a very good round.  I was happy to see Sylas bounce back after what I know was a disappointing afternoon round yesterday."

Staalbo and Karlsson matched Elliott with four birdies apiece over the last 18 holes of the event.  Staalbo — who would end up with his third top-20 performance of the fall — posted consecutive birdies twice on the day; he first accomplished the feat on Nos. 16 and 17, and after doing it again at the seventh and eighth holes he played his back nine at even par.  Karlsson's lone birdie on his front nine came at No. 15, but he had three on the front side of the course — which he played at 1 under — with threes on the first, fourth and sixth holes.

Mendel was even at the turn after recording a three at the 15th and a two at the 249-yard 17th, with his last birdie of the tournament coming on No. 4.  Schütz carded the Jaguars' first birdie of the day at No. 12, playing at 218 yards, and he concluded the event with a three at the 453-yard ninth.

In other USA golf action, three members of the program competed as individuals at the Badger Shootout on Monday and Tuesday, with redshirt freshman winning medalist honors on the second playoff hole to lead the trio.  Playing in his first collegiate event, Wall fired a 3-under-par 69 in the final round to post an even-par 216 54-hole total.  Matt Sheehan used a 73 on the last day of the event to move into 16th place in the field of 48 competitors with a score of 226, one stroke and one place in front of Drew Cooke.

"I'm excited that Stephen competed the way he did in his first collegiate tournament," Hamilton stated.  "It was good to see him shoot below par to force a playoff today, and even better that he birdied the 18th twice to win the event.  That was a great effort today on his part."

The Jags' next tournament begins on Saturday with the first two rounds of the David Toms Intercollegiate hosted by Louisiana State.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

—USA—

Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate
Old Overton Country Club, Vestavia Hills, Ala.
Par 72, 7,209 yards
Team Scores: 1) Auburn 284-274-282—840 (E); 2) Nevada-Las Vegas 283-284-274—841; 3) Baylor 274-284-289—847; 4) Alabama-Birmingham 285-279-292—856; 5) Alabama 289-285-284—858; 6) Arkansas 285-285-291—861; 7) Charlotte 288-290-284—862; 8) Michigan 290-282-291—863; 9) South Alabama 289-289-289—867; 10) Florida State 291-282-296—869; 11) Mississippi State 296-283-293—872; 12) Texas-San Antonio 301-284-299—884.

Individual Leaders: 1) John Oda, UNLV 67-72-64—203 (-7); 2) Conor Purcell, UNCC 65-71-68—204; 3) Lee Hodges, Bama 70-69-67—2-6; 4) Matthew Perrine, BU 68-67-72—207; T5) Will Long, Aub 70-70-68—208; T5) Harry Ellis, FSU 68-69-71—208; T5) Taylor Eyster, UAB 66-73-69—208; 8) Jovan Rebula, Aub 68-68-73—209; T9) four individuals with 210.

South Alabama Scores: T13) Peter Staalbo 68-70-73—211 (+1); T26) Rasmus Karlsson 72-72-74—218; T28) Sylas Elliott 72-77-70—219; T43) Jason Mendel 77-74-72—223; 57) Yannick Schütz 79-73-77—229.