FOREST OAKS, N.C. ? Marc-Etienne Bussieres ended the fall season by leading the University of South Alabama men’s golf team for the fourth time in five events with his third top-10 performance in a month-and-a-half stretch.
Bussieres fired a 1-under-par 71 Tuesday in the final round of the UNCG Bridgestone Golf Collegiate, ending the two-day tournament in a tie for ninth place with a 54-hole score of 2-over-par 217. It was the best round by a Jaguar in the event, and it allowed the junior to climb from a 22nd ?place tie entering the day.
Starting on the 10th hole of the par-72, 7,197-yard Forest Oaks Country Club, Bussieres birdied Nos. 13 and 15 ? both par-five holes ? while making the turn at even par. In addition to birdying the first hole, he carded birdies on No. 5 and No. 9 immediately after making bogies on the previous holes to post his fifth sub-par round of the year.
“Marc performed really well today, especially considering what a hard day it was to play. It was very cold in the morning when we teed off,” said USA head coach Ben Hannan. “He had a good tournament overall, this really was the close to an excellent fall season for him.”
Daniel Burns had a pair of birdies in recording a 75 on the final day of the tournament, tying for 45th place with a total score of 228. Jack Hiluta ended up with a 54-hole total of 231, Cody Klein had a 248 and Grant Price posted a 256 total to close out the fall.
The Jaguars ended the event in 14th place with a three-round score of 920 after Tuesday’s 309 total over the final 18 holes.
Duke won the team title by shooting a 289 in the final round, overcoming a five-stroke deficit entering the day to claim the field that included seven teams among the top 45 nationally in the GolfStat’s most recent rankings. The Blue Devils ended with a 5-over-par 869 total over the 54 holes. Payne Gniewek of Michigan State and Notre Dame’s Max Scodro both carded 3-under-par scores of 213 to share medalist honors ? no playoff was held due to travel considerations.
USA will begin the fall season at the Rio Pinar Invitational hosted by Central Florida Feb. 23-24.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
?USA?
UNCG Bridgestone Golf Collegiate
Forest Oaks Country Club, Forest Oaks, N.C.
Par 72, 7,197 yards
Team Scores: 1) Duke 291-289-289?869 (+5); 2) Michigan State 293-286-294?873; 3) Michigan 293-282-299?874; 4) Louisville 299-284-295?878; 5) UNC Greensboro 296-291-301?888; 6) Pepperdine 300-285-304?889; T7) Eastern Michigan 313-280-297?890; T7) Notre Dame 297-292-301?890; 9) Minnesota 297-294-303?894; 10) Mississippi State 299-305-293?897; T11) Memphis 303-286-309?898; T11) Maryland 299-290-309?898; 13) Toledo 310-298-307?915; 14) South Alabama 312-299-309?920.
Individual Leaders: T1) Payne Gniewek, Mich. St. 69-70-74?213 (-3);T1) Max Scordro, ND 70-72-71?213; 3) Bill Rankin, Michigan 75-64-75?214; T4) Adam Long, Duke 73-72-71?216; T4) Carlos Sainz, Miss. St. 70-76-70?216; T4) Drew Younts, UNCG 76-70-70?216; T7) Spencer Anderson, Duke 72-71-74?217; T7) Riley Wheeldon, UofL 74-71-72?217; T9) Marc-Etienne Bussieres 73-74-71?218; T9) Adam Hadwin, UofL 75-69-74?218; T9) Jack Newman, Mich. St. 69-77-72?218.
South Alabama Scores: T9) Marc-Etienne Bussieres 73-74-71?218 (+2); T45) Daniel Burns 79-74-75?228; T54) Jack Hiluta 78-73-80?231; 73) Cody Klein 82-78-88?248; 74) Grant Price 90-83-83?256.
