Mercer University
Sam Hall Intercollegiate
Men's Golf Takes Fourth at Sam Hall Intercollegiate
9/10/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – The Mercer men's golf team placed fourth of 15 teams at the Sam Hall Intercollegiate on Tuesday, wrapping up the event with a team score of 281 (-3) in the final round at Hattiesburg Country Club. Mercer's three round total of 845 (-7) featured scores of 286 and 278 on Monday and placed the Bears just two strokes outside of third.
The Bears outplayed 11 other teams at the tournament, including three (Mississippi, Southeast Louisiana, Texas San-Antonio) that entered the year inside Golfweek's top-100 rankings. Louisiana-Lafayette captured the team title with a score of 837 (-15), while Mississippi State was second at 838 (-14) and South Alabama (843, -9) finished third.
Mercer junior Trey Rule registered the team's top individual finish, trying for seventh with a 56-hole total of 207 (-6). His showing featured rounds of 69, 70, and 68 and made him one of just four competitors to register sub-par scores in all three rounds.
Senior Hans Reimers followed scores of 70 and 65 on Monday with a 73 to tie for 10th place. Senior James Beale notched six birdies in the final round and finished in a tie for 19th place at 211 (73-71-67).
"There were good scores out there and definitely some good players," Mercer head coach Steve Bradley said. "James and Trey stepped up today and were really good down the stretch. James birdied his last three holes and Trey had two birdies in his final three holes, so those were huge finishes for us."
Redshirt junior Michael Hirthler was solid while competing as an individual, firing rounds of 72, 72 and 73 to tie for 42nd place.
Freshman Justin Connelly following an opening round 74 with a pair of 73s and tied for 51st place. His classmate Sean Smothers collected scores of 74, 72 and 80 to finish 78th overall.
Mercer's 56-hole score of 845 was the team's lowest three-round total since shooting 843 at the Irish Creek Invitational on March 31-April 1, 2012.
"There were a lot of positives to build on, and we've got to continue to work hard as we get ready for our next challenge," Bradley said.
Mercer's return to competitive play comes at the Cardinal Intercollegiate on September 23. The two-day event is hosted by Louisville at the Cardinal Club in Simpsonville, Ky.
Players Mentioned
