PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Golf wrapped up play at the Golfweek/Stifel Spring Challenge in Pawleys Island, South Carolina on Wednesday, placing 16th on the team leaderboard.
The Screaming Eagles took on True Blue Golf Club in a highly competitive, deep tournament field this week. USI shot a team score of 892 (297, 300, 295) over the three-round tournament, which started on Monday, March 31. The teams played 18 holes each day of the tournament.
Senior Jason Bannister was USI’s highest finisher on the individual leaderboard, placing tied for 44th with a three-over 219 (75, 74, 70). Junior Carter Goebel was one stroke behind at 220 (72, 76, 72) and tied for 49th.
St. John’s University won the tournament with a total of 841 (285, 275, 281) and 23 under par. Out of the 17-team field, nine schools finished at even par or better.
On day one, Goebel paced the Eagles with an even 72. While the front nine tended to give the field some difficulty throughout the tournament, Goebel went out one under par on the front nine in round one. Goebel tallied a birdie and eight pars in the first nine on Monday. As a team, USI was 15th after the first 18 holes.
On a tough second day, USI dropped a spot to 16th. Bannister and freshman Alex Peck tied for Southern Indiana’s lowest rounds in round two with each sporting a 74 on Tuesday. For Peck, the 74 was one stroke off his career-best low round. The freshman notched five birdies in the second, while Bannister began his second 18 holes with 12 consecutive pars. The two each moved up a few spots on the individual leaderboard.
While the Screaming Eagles had their best team score in the third and final round on Wednesday, USI remained in 16th place. Individually, Bannister and Goebel were the biggest movers in the final round. Bannister leaped up 21 spots after a two-under 70 for USI’s best individual round of the tournament. Goebel jumped up 12 spots after his second even 72 of the tournament. Bannister and Goebel matched Peck’s birdie count in round two with five birdies of their own in the third round. Goebel had a stretch of three birdies in four holes on the front nine of Wednesday’s final round.
Southern Indiana will quickly turn around and get ready for the Tennessee State University Big Blue Intercollegiate at The Hermitage in Nashville, Tennessee next week April 7-8. With two spring tournaments down, USI has only a couple more weeks and three more competitions on the schedule before the Ohio Valley Conference Championship April 20-23.
