MOBILE, Ala. – Dawson Atkinson and Mathias Lorentzen both carded a 4-under-par 68 on Tuesday to help the University of South Alabama men's golf program conclude play at the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate with its low 18-hole score of the season.

Rasmus Karlsson added a 71 as the Jaguars posted a 7-under-par 281 group total on the final day of the event to move up into a tie for sixth place in the final team standings.  Atkinson recorded a 6-under-par 210 total over three rounds to end the tournament tied for 11th place individually.

Florida State claimed both team and individual accolades, with the Seminoles carding a 28-under-par 836 score to edge out Illinois and Louisville by one and two shots, respectively, and earn the title while John Pak fired a 15-under-par 201 54-hole total to pick up medalist honors.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Event (host): Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate (South Alabama)
Dates: 2/10-11
Course: Magnolia Grove Crossings Golf Course (par 72, 7,212 yds)
Live scoring: http://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=participants&tid=18989

TEAM SCORES
1) Florida State 278-281-277—836 (-28); 2) Illinois 278-284-275—837; 3) Louisville 280-283-275—838; T4) UAB 276-287-279—842; T4) Texas State 279-274-289—842; T6) South Alabama 284-295-281—860; T6) Southern Mississippi 289-285-286—860; 8) Louisiana 283-291-288—862; T9) Wofford 290-280-295—865; T9) Illinois State 294-287-284—865; T11) Denver 290-290-287—867; T11) Richmond 288-292-287—867; 13) Chattanooga 293-291-294—878; 14) Western Kentucky 296-288-297—881.

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
1) John Pak, FSU 66-69-66—201 (-15); T2) Logan Lockwood, TXST 69-68-70—207; T2) Calvin Ross, TXST 67-65-75—207; T4) John Murphy, UofL 69-70-69—208; T4) Dalton Hankamer, TXST 70-66-72—208; T4) John Snoddy, UAB 68-72-68—208; T4) Giovanni Tadiotto, UI 69-70-69—208; T8) Mathias Schmid, UofL 75-68-66—209; T8) Jamie Li, FSU 71-70-68—209; T8) Michael Feagles, UI 69-71-69—209.

SOUTH ALABAMA SCORES
T11) Dawson Atkinson 70-72-68—210 (-6); T33) Jordan Plunkett* 74-71-70—215; T38) Mathias Lorentzen 70-78-68—216; T38) Jacob LeCroy* 67-75-74—216; T40) Yannick Schütz 72-71-74—217; T40) Rasmus Karlsson 72-74-71—217; 79) Spencer Arnold 81-78-75—234.
*denotes competed as an individual

TEE SHOTS
-The field for the event featured 80 individuals from 14 teams with Louisville the highest-rated program after entering play ranked 15th in the country.
-It's the third straight year that FSU has won the team championship at the tournament, and the second consecutive spring that Pak — who set an event record with his three-round score — has been the medalist.
-Atkinson has now led the Jaguars in each of their last two outings after tying for fourth place individually at the final event of the fall, the Steelwood Collegiate Invitational.
-The sophomore was among the top 10 individuals in the field in scoring on par-three holes and top 15 on the course's par fives while recording the low 18- and 54-hole totals of his career.
-Lorentzen's four eagles were two more than any other player in the event carded, with his two rounds at or below par matching the number he posted the entire fall season.
-Both Plunkett — who also broke par in each of the final two rounds — and Lorentzen finished play with their low 18- and 54-hole scores of the year.
-LeCroy's opening round 5-under-par 67, which featured six birdies, matched the lowest of the season by a Jag first recorded by Schütz.on the opening day of the campaign at the Lone Star Invitational on Sept. 16.
-Schütz has now shot par or better in four of his last six rounds while Karlsson recorded multiple rounds at or below par at an event for the first time since the first tournament of the season.

THEY SAID IT
Head coach Ben Hannan
On the Jags' performance in the tournament: "Throughout the week we had competitive rounds from multiple guys including the two individuals who played, which is good and shows the depth of this team.  Dawson had another solid event for us playing three consistent and competitive rounds to finish tied for 11th.  However, as a group from the starting five, we didn't get the consistent production we want and expect when you play on your home golf course.  The weather created conditions that were very conducive to scoring, the greens were good and to be honest, we made plenty of birdies and had five eagles which is crazy.  But, we also made huge numbers every round which kills a lot of momentum and on your home golf course that's really disappointing.  In a competitive field like this everyone needs to show up and do their job, we simply had too many unforced errors to get our team total a bunch under par which is what it took to win this week."
On the team's final round: "After having such a poor second round, I'm pleased with the bounce back in the third round shooting 7-under par as a group.  We had four out of the seven who played turn in under-par rounds, which is good golf.  More importantly, almost everyone closed the final nine well, which shows some fight and pride from this group and appreciating the value of a shot, something we preach all the time.  We can build on 7 under moving forward."
On the importance of having a good final day with another tournament next week: "If you are willing to learn and improve, everything is a teachable situation and with this week there are some great lessons for us.  We had some good individual accomplishments this week; Dawson, Jacob, Mathias and Jordan all had their individual low rounds of the season so far.  Moving forward, qualifying is going to be a focus for us, we have depth and every time the tee goes in the ground it's an opportunity to show you belong on the bus.  We have a deep team so we are going to try and use that depth to help everybody get better and focus on improving every day."

Sophomore Dawson Atkinson
On his preparation for the tournament: "I've really been working on my putting and ball striking, hitting the ball a little more solid and with better consistency.  All I did different this week was keep the ball in play and not make as many mistakes."
On what he did well in the final round: "I just hit the ball really solid, I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens which always makes golf a little easier.  Then I rolled the ball really well, I didn't make a lot of putts on the front nine even though they were solid strokes but on the second nine I got them to drop and that was the difference."
On building momentum as the season has progressed: "Ever since last season I have been playing very consistently, even in qualifying this week leading up to this week I kept it going from the fall.  It's always nice to see that show up in a tournament, I am definitely looking forward to the next event."

Up next: The Jaguars will compete at Florida State's Seminole Intercollegiate Feb. 22-23.

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

Join the Birdie Club — the men's golf specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All donations to the Birdie Club go directly to support the South Alabama men's golf program. For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/birdieclub.

—USA—