MOBILE, Ala. – For the second straight round the University of South Alabama men's golf team recorded a sub-par score, but it wasn't enough to hold off the top-ranked team in the field.  But behind the efforts of Daniel Jansen, Michael Garretson and Tyler Klava, the Jaguars recorded their best finish of the season Tuesday after placing second at the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate.

Jansen posted a 4-under-par 68, finishing one shot behind the individual winners of the tournament with a 4-under-par 212 total, while Garretson recorded a 70 and Klava carded a 72 to join him in the top 10.  With Matt Sheehan (77) and Ally Purdy (83) rounding out the lineup, USA posted a 1-under-par 287 score on the day for an 869 total over 54 holes.

The Jags finished eight strokes behind No. 22 Auburn, who with a 10-under-par 278 recorded a 3-under-par 861 group score to earn the team title for the third year in a row.  Mississippi was five shots behind USA, with Michigan State (882) and Louisiana Tech (883) completing the top five; 15 teams competed in the event.

"We had a very good tournament.  Obviously the conditions were brutal — they were tough on everybody — but we persevered," Jag head coach Ben Hannan observed.  "The guys played a fantastic second round, shooting 5 under yesterday, and today played great; some of them were fantastic throughout the entire day.  We didn't close the way we wanted to overall, but with Auburn shooting 10 under they would have been very tough to catch.

"I'm very pleased with the start of the spring [season], we can certainly build on this."

After Jansen began the day with a double bogey at the par-72, 7,160-yard Magnolia Grove Crossings Golf Course, he proceeded to card birdies on the fourth, sixth and eighth holes to make the turn at 1-under-par.  He birdied both Nos. 10 and 11 — playing at 417 and 398 yards, respectively — to move to 3 under, then added a two at the 14th and a four two holes later.  After posting his sixth round at or below par on the year, and ranking among the top five in par-four scoring as well as in the top 10 on par-three and par-five holes, Jansen had his best finish as a Jaguar.

Garretson also had his sixth score of par or better this season, with four birdies on the front side of the course including three straight on hole Nos. 5-7 to go along with a three at the 11th.  He tied for fourth, matching his best result of the campaign, with a three-round 1-under-par 215 score after ended the tournament as one of four individuals to play below par on par-four holes.

Klava had a 217 score over 54 holes to tie for ninth, his highest finish of the season.  He parred each of the first seven holes on the front nine, then birdied Nos. 10 and 11 before going on to record a four at the 596-yard 16th; the senior was among the top 10 in the field in both par-three and par-four scoring.

Sheehan — who played par threes at 3 under during the event — had pars on eight of nine holes on the course's back nine to tie for 44th place with a 228 three-round score.  Purdy had a four on the 528-yard sixth, his second hole of the day, and ended up in a tie for 65th with a 235 total.

Matt Gilchrest of Auburn and Texas State's Tyler Saunders shared medalist honors with 5-under-par scores of 211 over three rounds.

"It's a numbers game.  Daniel started with a four-putt on No. 1 and went on to play the next 17 holes 6-under par," said Hannan.  "Michael was rock solid the last 36 holes and Tyler Klava, another senior, was under par over the final two rounds.  We're going to ride the backs of our upperclassmen as most programs do, but these are special and talented guys; if they do their job, normally we are going to be okay."

Taking part in the USA Individual Tournament, Jason Mendel (231) finished tied for 12th in a field of 29 while Ryan Pope (238) placed 21st.  Contested on the par-71, 7,111-yard Magnolia Grove Falls Golf Course, Mendel had three birdies on the front nine with a two at No. 2 and threes on the third and eighth holes to post a 75 in the final round, his lowest 18-hole score of the event.

Auburn's Ryan Benton was the medalist with an even-par 213 total following a 1-under-par 70 on the final day, finishing two shots ahead of Zach Day of Mobile.

The Jags return to action Monday with the start of the Louisiana Classics in Lafayette, La.

"It's a quick turnaround, we leave for Lafayette on Saturday and then head to Auburn, but we can build on this," Hannan explained.  "We'll make some adjustments and get ready for Lafayette.  The ball is in our court — with the schedule we have upcoming, if we continue to do what we are capable of then we will be able to control our own destiny regarding postseason moving forward."

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—

Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate
Magnolia Grove Crossings Golf Course, Mobile, Ala.
Par 72, 7,160 yards
Team Scores: 1) Auburn 291-292-278—861 (-3); 2) South Alabama 299-283-287—869; 3) Mississippi 292-291-291—874; 4) Michigan State 302-288-292—882; 5) Louisiana Tech 294-294-295—883; 6) Memphis 302-285-297—884; 7) Texas State 303-294-293—890; 8) Middle Tennessee 300-296-296—892; 9) Mississippi State 309-298-290—897; 10) Kentucky 309-298-291—898; 11) Southern Mississippi 302-303-298—903; 12) Western Kentucky 318-294-301—913; 13) Belmont 311-303-304—918; 14) Davidson 307-298-318—923; 15) Illinois State 321-302-313—936.

Individual Leaders: T1) Matt Gilchrest, Aub 74-67-70—211 (-5); T1) Tyler Saunders, TXST 72-66-73—2111; 3) Daniel Jansen, USA 75-69-68—212; T4) Michael Garretson, USA 75-70-70—215; T4) Thomas Perrot, Mem 74-69-72—215; T4) Ben Robinson, Tech 71-72-72—215; T4) Blake Morris, Miss 73-69-73—215; 8) Michael Johnson, Aub 71-74-71—216; T9) four individuals with 217.

South Alabama Scores: 3) Daniel Jansen 75-69-68—212 (-4); T4) Michael Garretson 75-70-70—215; T9) Tyler Klava 75-70-72—217; T44) Matt Sheehan 74-77-77—228; T65) Ally Purdy 78-74-83—235.