FRANKLIN, Tenn. – The University of South Alabama men’s golf team had three players shoot par or better Sunday on the final day of Vanderbilt’s Mason Rudolph Invitational, recording a 283 total that made the Jaguars one of just five schools out of the 17 in the field below par as a team on the last day of the tournament.
Blake Kelley fired a career-low 2-under-par 69 to lead the Jaguars, while both Jack Hiluta and Chris Piumelli collected even-par 71s at the par-71, 7,100-yard Vanderbilt Legends Club South Course. Chris Bockstael recorded a 72 as well, matching the best round of his career first accomplished on the opened day of last year’s event.
David Leathem and Christian Blanchet posted scores of 75 and 76, respectively.
The Jags’ 11-stroke difference compared to their total from the middle of three rounds at the tournament was the second-best improvement made by a school over the final 18 holes.
“Our whole mantra is based on improvement, and we got better today,” USA head coach Ben Hannan said. “We’ve talked about getting rounds under par, and Blake delivered that; now we need more guys to do that with consistency. We’ve proven we can post low scores in qualifying, but we need to have that happen in events.
“I’m very pleased with the way we competed today, we really showed some pride.”
The Jaguars are next in action on Monday, Oct. 11, when they play 36 holes at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate hosted by Alabama. It will be the first of three straight weeks of competition to close out the fall season.
Kelley, who posted his second sub-par round in as many events this fall, went out with an eagle on the par-five 14th — making him the second Jaguar to accomplish the feat this week, joining Blanchet — and a birdie on No. 18. The sophomore added birdies on Nos. 1, 3 and 7 to come in at 3-under-par. He tied for 37th place out of 90 individuals with a 218 54-hole score.
Hiluta led USA with a 217 three-round score, tying for 34th place. His lone birdie of the day came on the par-three 16th hole, though he made only one bogey after the turn for his second even-par round of the season.
Piumelli birdied each of the last five holes of the front side to make the turn 3-under-par, and he added a birdie on No. 9 to close out the event with a 221 total. After a double bogey on No. 10 — the first hole for the Jaguars — Bockstael carded a birdie on the 14th, adding two more at holes No. 5 and 7 to post a 228 54-hole score for the tournament.
“Blake was 3 over after four holes, but shot 5 under the rest of the way. I’m real proud of his effort,” Hannan commented. “And Chris Bockstael wasn’t having a great week, but showed some resolve after a tough start today too. That’s what we’re trying to do every time out there.”
Blanchet and Leathem, who competed as an individual, tied for 41st place with a 219 score — each made their only birdie of the day on No. 1 after making the turn. The total for 54 holes was the lowest of Leathem’s career by one stroke.
Both Piumelli and Kelley finished among the top 15 in the field on par-five holes, ending the three rounds 4- and 3-below par, respectively. Hiluta played the par threes at even-par, while Leathem was 1-over-par on the same holes and Blanchet posted a 1-over-par total on par-four holes, as all three ranked among the top 20 on those holes.
With the performance, USA moved up one spot into 12th place in the team standings, ending the tournament with an 871 total.
Memphis won the team title with a 10-under-par 842 score after shooting even par in the final round, while the Tigers’ Jack Belote maintained his one-shot advantage entering the day to claim medalist honors with an 8-under-par 205 total.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
—USA—
Mason Rudolph Championship
Vanderbilt Legends Club South Course, Franklin, Tenn.
Par 71, 7,100 yards
Team Scores: 1) Memphis 274-284-283—842 (-10); 2) South Carolina 285-279-280—844; 3) Mississippi 282-285-208—847; 4) Oklahoma 274-292-282—848; 5) Middle Tennessee 292—284-274—850; 6) Vanderbilt 285-286-285—856; T7) Chattanooga 290-282-286—858; T7) Davidson 287-287-284—858; 9) Akron 289-287-290—866; 10) Mississippi State 292-290-287—869; 11) Arkansas State 293-290-287—870; 12) South Alabama 294-294-283—871; 13) Georgia State 306-287-291—884; 14) Tennessee-Martin 302-288-298—888; 15) Western Carolina 294-293-302—889; 16) Belmont 301-296-302—899; 17) Lipscomb 297-315-300—912.
Individual Leaders: 1) Jack Belote, Mem 66-69-70—205 (-8); 2) Blaine Woodruff, USC, 69-67-70—206; 3) Will Kropp, OU 65-74-69—208; T4) Jonathan Randolph, Miss 71-70-68—209; T4) Adam Hofmann, VU 71-70-68—209; T4) Jonathan Fly, Mem 69-72-68—209; T7) Chad Ramey, MSU 70-71-69—210; T7) Chris Pledger, ASU 71-71-68—210; T7) Brett Patterson, MT 72-69-69—210.
South Alabama Scores: T34) Jack Hiluta 73-73-71—217 (+4); T37) Blake Kelley 76-73-69—218; T41) Christian Blanchet 71-72-76—219; T41) David Leathem* 72-72-75—219; T52) Chris Piumelli 74-76-71—221; T75) Chris Bockstael 80-76-72—228.
*denotes competing as an individual
