AUGUSTA, Ga. --
Augusta State battled back from a late deficit Sunday afternoon to overtake
third-ranked Georgia and claim the Augusta State University Invitational hosted
by the Augusta Golf Association and presented by Administaff at Forest Hills
Golf Club.The 14th-ranked Jaguars, who trailed by as much as seven shots down the stretch, played the par-five 17th and the short par-four 18th holes in four-under-par, while benefiting from some Georgia miscues to edge past the Bulldogs and claim their second victory of the season. The win marks the Jags' sixth tournament title in the last eight years of the ASU Invitational, and their third top-four finish in its last four events. The winning total of 32-over 896 also marks the highest winning score in the tournament's 27-year history, breaking the previous tournament record of 31-over 895 in 1987.
Georgia Southern, ranked 18th in the nation, finished alone in third at 47-over 911, while No. 13 Minnesota, No. 20 Alabama and East Tennessee State tied for fourth at 922 (+58). The field featured 10 of the top 26 teams in the nation, including nine of the top 19.
After second-round play was postponed Saturday due to dangerous course conditions, forcing a 36-hole final on Sunday, ASU carded a morning round of 14-over 302. The Jags trailed Georgia by a single stroke entering the afternoon, but paced by senior Emmett Turner's four-under 68, registered the low final round, a two-over 290. Turner was the only player in the 90-man field to post a sub-70 score in any of the three rounds.
Georgia sophomore Chris Kirk carded rounds of 75-70 for a three-round total of one-over 217 to claim medalist honors for the second time this season. Kirk's winning total was only one stroke shy of Phil Mickelson's tournament record for highest winning score, a two-over 218 in 1989. Kirk entered Sunday's play tied for second with ASU's Scott Jamieson and trailing first-round leader Rhys Davies of East Tennessee State by two shots.
Jamieson, coming off last week's victory at the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate, turned in rounds of 74-74 to finish alone in second place for his second consecutive top-two finish. Davies and Georgia's Brendon Todd tied for third at six-over 222, while ASU senior Kalle Edberg, Minnesota's Bronson LaCassie and Turner tied for fifth at eight-over 224. Sophomore Major Manning gave the Jags four finishers in the top 15 with a tie for 14th at 12-over 228. Redshirt freshman Mark Poulsen tied for 50th at 21-over 237.
The Jags will enjoy a five-week break from competitive play before returning to action on May 14-15 in The Maxwell at Dornick Hills Country Club in Ardmore, Okla.