Second-round improvement lifts EMCC men’s golfers to fifth-place finish at Dancing Rabbit
The Lions of East Mississippi Community College matched their best team finish of the men's golf season with a fifth-place showing at this week's Chris Clark Invitational played on the Azalea Course at Dancing Rabbit Golf Course. The two-day MACCC event concluded Tuesday after the 12 participating teams stayed on the course Monday afternoon in an effort to get as much of the second round finished prior to Tuesday’s anticipated wet weather.
PHILADELPHIA – The Lions of East Mississippi Community College matched their best team finish of the men's golf season with a fifth-place showing at this week's Chris Clark Invitational played on the Azalea Course at Dancing Rabbit Golf Course. The two-day MACCC event concluded Tuesday after the 12 participating teams stayed on the course Monday afternoon in an effort to get as much of the second round finished prior to Tuesday's anticipated wet weather.
The EMCC Lions improved 18 shots from the opening day with a second-round 302 while moving up one place to finish just 10 strokes behind fourth-place Jones College (311-301—612) with a two-day team total of 622.
Individually, the Lions had three golfers finish among the top 20 places, as Spain native Pelayo Castillo Alonso led the way for EMCC by finishing in a three-way tie for 15th place with rounds of 76 and 77 for a 9-over-par 153 total. Fellow EMCC frosh Bryce Shivers (81-74—155), from Prentiss, and reigning All-MACCC performer Lorenzo Ligabue (79-76—155), a native of Italy, tied for 19th place with two other golfers.
Also improving on their opening-round scores for EMCC's starting quintet were Itawamba AHS product Lawson Burton (84-75—159) and Kosciusko's Trace Carpenter (85-78—163), who tied for 31st and 37th place, respectively, for the Lions.
Competing as an individual player, EMCC freshman Whitt Welch, a Leake Academy product, tied for 55th place (89-82—171) following a seven-stroke improvement during second-round play.
Top-ranked Mississippi Gulf Coast (295-302—597) bounced back from being two shots behind No. 7 Meridian (292-305—597) on the back nine Tuesday to force a team playoff with the Eagles. The Bulldogs played the first playoff hole even par to beat Meridian by four shots. Host and 10th-ranked East Central (309-300—609) placed third by finishing three strokes better than No. 14 Jones.
Individual medalist honors this past week went to Meridian's Jace Duckworth, whose 4-under-par 140 (71-69) bested the Gulf Coast runner-up tandem of Stanley Campbell (72-72—144) and John Mark Mills (74-70—144) by four shots.
The East Mississippi men's golf team will be joined by the EMCC women's golf trio of Lucy Lunceford, Kaylee Dufrene and Lannee Bray at next week's (March 10-11) Spring Golden Tiger Collegiate, hosted by Brenau University at Chattahoochee Golf Club in Gainesville, Ga.