Jax State won its first men's golf tournament since April of 2024 this week, rallying from nine shots back to start the final round.
The Gamecocks finished the tournament at 15-under par for 54 holes, beating UT Martin by two shots. After a seven-over 295 to start the tournament, the Gamecocks posted 277 in each of the final two rounds.
The last team win for the Gamecocks was at the Irish Creek Intercollegiate on April 9, 2024.
Will Drake was the co-medalist for the event, with an eight-under total of 208. Following a first round 76, Drake came back 10 shots better in each of the next two rounds. In the second round, Drake aced the 200-yard Par 3 sixth hole becoming the first Gamecock with a hole-in-one since
Ryley Heath at the Georgia State Invitational on October 3, 2022. Drake opened the final round with a bogey on the first hole, but carded seven birdies on the day to shoot nine spots up the leaderboard.
Drake's 14 birdies on the week was tied for the most in the field and his -5 total on Par 3 holes was the best in the field. He becomes the second Jax State player to win a tournament this year, joining
Stanley Campbell who was the medalist at the Bash in the Boro.
Tyler Neidel tied for fifth with a four-under total of 212. He shot 69 in the second round after a one-over 73 to start the tournament. He posted a two-under round of 70 in Tuesday's final round and played the Par 3 holes at even for the week.
Heath placed 14
th with a one-under total of 215, shooting even par in the first round and two-under in the second. He posted a one-over round of 73 to close out the tournament.
Ben Shedd and
Stanley Campbell tied for 20
th with two-over totals of 218. Shedd posted a pair of even-par rounds in the second and third after opening with a 74. Campbell shot 77 to start the tournament, but came back with a 72 and a 69 to close things out. An eagle on the Par 5, 563-yard second helped cement his total.
Cole Lindeman finished 65
th, playing as an individual with rounds of 76, 75, and 79.
Up next for Jax State will be the Memphis Intercollegiate, starting on Monday at colonial Country Club in Cordova, Tenn.
