SANDESTIN, Fla. – With a birdie on the 18th hole, Daniel Jansen completed a career-low-tying 67 in the final round of the Sun Belt Conference Fall Preview Sunday to earn medalist honors for the first time since joining the University of South Alabama men's golf program.
Tied with Luke Moser of Troy coming to the final hole of the tournament, the senior carded a three on the 431-yard par four, wrapping up a bogey-free 33 on the back nine and giving him an 8-under-par 205 three-round total to claim the individual title by a stroke.
"I had no clue about the leaderboard," Jansen said afterward. "I thought I needed to get to 9 under to win, but I just played the hole like I normally would; I didn't know I needed a birdie so I didn't do anything different."
"Daniel played very well today," Jag head coach Ben Hannan commented. "He got off to a solid start and was hitting the ball in positions where had a lot of opportunities. On the back nine he started to make some of those putts with a birdie on the last, which ultimately led to the one-shot win."
Ally Purdy and Matt Sheehan each recorded a 72 over the last 18 holes, and Drew Cooke chipped in with a 73 as the Jaguars posted a 284 group score to place third in a field of 10 schools at the event with a total of 855; they moved up two places in the final round after beginning the day in a tie for fifth.
Cooke tied for 18th in the individual standings with a 217 two-day total, while Sheehan and Jason Mendel — who carded a 75 in the final round — tied for 21st one shot behind. Purdy, who's score on the last day was his lowest of the season, tied for 46th individually at 227, with Brooks Rabren rounding out the USA lineup with a 231 total over 54 holes.
"The biggest thing is to continue to compete until the end," Hannan stated. "All in all, we got off to a poor start but the guys hung in there and kept on grinding away. They got hot on the back side, which led to one of the low rounds of the day. I'm very pleased with that effort in grinding out a good score today.
"We improved from last week to this week, which is the ultimate goal for us — to get a little bit better each event as we move forward."
Jansen carded five birdies in the final round at the par-71, 6,860-yard Sandestin Golf Resort Raven Course, giving him 13 over two days; that total was tied for fourth among the 60 individuals competing. The senior was 4 under on both par-four and par-five holes for the weekend — both among the top 10 in the field — including birdying three of the four of the latter variety in the last round.
It was the sixth time in as many rounds this fall that Jansen has shot par or better as well as his fourth top-10 finish since the start of last season.
When asked what was the key to his performance, Jansen responded, "Consistency off the tee, I hit a lot of fairways. This course has a lot of water, so if you don't hit the fairways you can lose a lot of shots.
"I was actually warming up for a playoff when coach came and told me, I was kind of surprised because I thought the winner was going to go lower," he added. "I was happy when I found out. It's been a really good start with the first event and even better finish now, I'm just looking forward to the next couple of weeks."
USA's move up the leaderboard was keyed by the team's play on the last nine holes of the event. Purdy played the back nine at 4 under, with three straight birdies after making the turn to go along with a three at the 421-yard 14th, and Sheehan also recorded a stretch of three consecutive birdies — accomplishing the feat on Nos. 13-15 — for a 34 coming in. Cooke was below par after making the turn as well, as back-to-back birdies on Nos. 12 and 13 gave him a 1-under-par 35 over the final nine holes.
Mendel contributed birdies on the ninth and 12th holes to go along with the Jags' only eagle of the day after he posted a three on the 587-yard third, while Rabren birdied Nos. 1 and 6 to play the front nine at even par.
Troy was the lone team in the field to post a lower score than the Jaguars in the final round with a 283, earning the team title with a 12-under-par 840 total. Georgia Southern placed second with an even-par group score, three strokes in front of the Jaguars.
USA is next in action at Georgia State's AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic, which will start on Monday, Oct. 12.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
—USA—
Sun Belt Conference Fall Preview
Sandestin Golf Resort Raven Course, Sandestin, Fla.
Par 71, 6,860 yards
Team Scores: 1) Troy 287-270-283—840 (-12); 2) Georgia Southern 283-280-289—852; 3) South Alabama 284-287-284—855; 4) Georgia State 284-279-293—856; 5) Louisiana-Lafayette 291-280-287—858; T6) Little Rock 289-276-297—862; T6) Arkansas State 294-278-290—862; 8) Texas-Arlington 297-284-292—873; 9) Louisiana-Monroe 286-295-300—881; 10) Texas State 300-285-300—885.
Individual Leaders: 1) Daniel Jansen,USA 68-70-67—205 (-8); 2) Luke Moser, Troy 69-68-69—206; 3) J.J. Grey, GSU 69-67-71—207; T4) Justin Newby, TXST 75-66-67—208; T4) Haraldur Magnus, ULL 71-67-70—208; 6) Jared Bettcher, Troy 74-67-68—209; T7) five individuals with 212 total.
South Alabama Scores: T3) Daniel Jansen 68-70-67—205 (-8); T18) Drew Cooke 69-75-73—217; T21) Jason Mendel 72-71-75—218; T21) Matt Sheehan 75-71-72—218; T46) Ally Purdy 78-77-72—227; 57) Brooks Rabren 76-77-78—231.
