Mercer University
Linger Longer Invitational
Kountakis and Rule Lead Men's Golf at Linger Longer Invitational
3/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
EATONTON, Ga. – Mercer University's Emmanuel Kountakis and Trey Rule tied for fourth place overall to lead the men's golf team to a sixth-place at the Linger Longer Invitational this weekend.
"We played really well all weekend and overcame a lot of adversity on the final day," said head coach Kirk Kayden. "I was very proud of the team's efforts, beating two of that nation's top 30 teams in Alabama and Clemson. Manny and Trey led us with excellent finishes and are really coming into their own at the right time."
The Bears finished the tournament with a 5-under-par total of 859, the program's top three-round score of the season. Mercer shot a 2-over 290 in the closing round, defeating top-30 programs Alabama and Clemson as well as Southern Conference opponents Chattanooga and UNCG. No. 3 Texas claimed the team title, while Georgia and Kennesaw State rounded out the top three.
Kountakis fired a 3-under 69 to pace the Bears on Sunday, moving up eight spots for his best score of the season, an 8-under 208. Rule had his best tournament of 2014-15 as well, carding a 1-under 71 on the final day to match his teammate with an 8-under 208.
Jerry Ren finished third on the squad in the closing round of play, tallying an even-par 72 to place 66th overall with a total score of 224. Sean Smothers carded a 78 this afternoon en route to 47th place with a tournament total of 219, while Jeffrey Heinicka, Jr. finished with 240 strokes on the weekend.
The Bears will be back in action on April 3-5 at Vanderbilt's Mason Rudolph Championship at the Legends Club in Franklin, Tenn.
