EMCC golf team earns third-place honors in spring opener at MGCCC-hosted Diamondhead Pine
The East Mississippi Community College men’s golf team earned a third-place team finish during the spring’s first MACJC event played at Diamondhead Pine and hosted by Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. EMCC added a 317 during Monday’s final round to go along with Sunday’s opening-round 318 for a two-day total of 635.
DIAMONDHEAD – The East Mississippi Community College men's golf team earned a third-place team finish during the spring's first MACJC event played at Diamondhead Pine and hosted by Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. EMCC added a 317 during Monday's final round to go along with Sunday's opening-round 318 for a two-day total of 635.
The host Bulldogs of Mississippi Gulf Coast, five-time reigning NJCAA Region 23 golf champions, carded a final-round 305 to overtake opening-day leader Copiah-Lincoln Community College by three strokes (621-624) for the team title. Co-Lin held a 2-stroke lead (314-316) over MGCCC heading into Monday's final round. EMCC also stood in third place Sunday four strokes off the lead.
Individually for head coach Dale Peay's EMCC Lions, sophomore transfer Caleb Westmoreland, a Heritage Academy product via Delta State University, added a 2-over-par 74 Monday to total 150 for the two days and finish one stroke behind tournament runner-up Alex Clark (76-73—149) of Copiah-Lincoln. Gulf Coast's Brad Thornton shot a 1-over-par 73 Monday to maintain his 2-stroke lead over Clark and earn individual medalist honors.
EMCC sophomore Miles Respess, of Paragould, Ark., tied for the best round of the two-day event (with Gulf Coast's Hayes Weathersby) by firing an even-par 72 Monday to shave 10 strokes off his opening-round score and finish in a three-way tie for fifth place with a 154 total. Fellow Lion sophomore Nick Davis, of Springville, Ala., tallied a second straight 81 to finish at 162 and tied for 13th.
Sophomore transfer Matt Belk, of Shannon High School by way of Itawamba Community College, couldn't maintain the momentum of Sunday's 7-over-par 79 and placed 25th overall with a two-round score of 169.
EMCC freshman Chase Smith added a 191 (98-93), while fellow Lion rookie John Pittman, competing as an individual, finished with a two-day score of 183 (93-90).
The MACJC's second golf tournament of the spring campaign, to be hosted by Hinds Community College, is scheduled for March 2-3 at Eagle Ridge Golf Course in Raymond.