GNTC golfers bounce back to finish 10th

September 18, 2014

The Georgia Northwestern Technical College golf team improved 20 strokes from their first round on Monday, rallying for a top 10 finish at the Coastal Georgia Fall Classic at St. Simons Island on Tuesday.

The Bobcats, who had a disappointing team score of 321 on Monday, came in at 301 on Tuesday with all of their players shooting 80 or below.

Grant Allen turned in the lowest score for the GNTC team in the final round with a 74, followed by Drew Tankersley, whose 75 was a 19-shot improvement over his first round score.

John Rollins (76) and Jordan Estes (76) rounded out the team score. Chase Cole fired an 80 on Tuesday, but only the lowest four scores counted toward the team total.

Lanier Guest, playing as an individual, actually had the best round for the Bobcats on Tuesday with a solid 72. That round, combined with his 77 on Monday, gave him a total of 149 and a 20th place overall finish in the individual standings – the best of any Bobcat golfer in the field. Rollins (150) was 22nd overall.

Defending NAIA national champions Coastal Georgia won the tournament with a 573, 11 shots clear of Warner University (Fla.) and Thomas University (Ga.), who tied at 584. USC-Beaufort (587) was fourth with Dalton State (600) rallying to place fifth.

The rest of the field was filled out by Eckerd College (606), Reinhardt (606), University of Mobile (612), Lindsey Wilson (613), GNTC (622), Martin Methodist (638), St. Andrews “A” (644), Brewton-Parker (671) and St. Andrews “B” (677).

Dalton State’s Sean Elliott took individual honors, carding rounds of 73 and 66, to finish at 139 and claim a one-stroke victory over Coastal Georgia’s Alistaire Tidcombe (70-70). Tidcombe’s teammate, former Heritage General Hunter Cornelius, shot a 71 and a 70 to tie for third (141) with USC-Beaufort’s Alan Cooke (72-69) and first round leader Stone Cowie (Thomas) (68-73).

The Bobcats will play one final fall tournament when they take part in the Berry/Chick-fil-A Collegiate Invitational at the Coosa Country Club in Rome Oct. 20 and 21.