Mercer University
Atlantic Sun Championship
Men's Golf Claims A-Sun Title; Rule Earns Individual Medalist Honors
4/22/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
BRASELTON, Ga. – Mercer junior Trey Rule captured individual medalist honors while leading the Mercer men's golf team to the program's first Atlantic Sun Conference Championship on Tuesday at The Legends Course of Chateau Elan.
Mercer's team score of 293 in Tuesday's final round brought the Bears' three-day total to 874, leaving the squad six strokes ahead of Kennesaw State on the team leaderboard. East Tennessee State (884), North Florida (895) and Lipscomb (915) rounded out the top five.
In just his third year with the program, head coach Steve Bradley has secured the program's first appearance in the NCAA Regionals, set for May 15-17. Selections for each of the regional sites are scheduled to be announced live on the Golf Channel on Monday, May 5 from 10 a.m.-11 a.m.
"After we got off to a rough start today, we got into a couple holes playing down-wind and made some birdies," Bradley said. "That helped the nerves settle down and we played solid on the back nine. All-in-all, I'm extremely happy and pleased."
Rule sandwiched a second round 73 with first and third round 1-under 71's to become the third Mercer golfer to earn individual medalist honors at the conference championship. Rule's four birdies on Tuesday to brought his tournament total to 10 and helped him finish three strokes ahead of the next closest competitors.
"I don't think it's really set in yet, with how special it is for Trey to win and have our team do this for the first time in school history," Bradley said. "It's cool as well, because of how well Mercer has been doing in all of our sports. We wanted to contribute to that success."
Senior James Beale finished as part of a four-way tie for second place, capping his showing at the event with a 3-over 75 on Tuesday. Beale previously registered scores of 1-over 73 and 2-under 70 on Monday and Tuesday to post his fifth top-five finish of the season.
Also finishing inside the top-10 was freshman Sean Smothers, who posted an even-par 72 on Tuesday to close the event in a tie for ninth place at 221. The effort tied Smothers' best placement of the season and was the second time he's landed a top-10 spot.
Senior Hans Reimers tied for 13th place overall after wrapping up his showing with a 3-over 75. Reimers' three-day total of 224 featured rounds of 75 and 74 on Sunday and Monday.
Freshman Emmanuel Kountakis rounded out Mercer's competitors with a tie for 22nd at 229. Kountakis fired rounds of 71, 77 and 81 at the tournament.
