The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
SEC Championship
Rebel Golfers Finish Second At SEC Championship
4/18/2010 | Men's Golf
ST. SIMON'S ISLAND, Ga. -- The Ole Miss men's golf team, powered by Jonathan Randolph's third place finish and Joe David's tournament low 63 in the final round, captured second at the SEC Championship here Sunday at the Sea Island Seaside Course.
The Rebels shot a 3-under 277 in the final round to finish with a total of 849, tied with Florida for second and five back of winner Georgia. This marks Ole Miss' best finish at the SEC Tournament since 1988, when they tied for third. The Rebels won the event in 1984.
"Our players played some great, gutsy golf. The highlight of the tournament was Joe David shooting 63 with 10 birdies and a triple bogey," head coach Ernest Ross said. "I am very proud of Jonathan Randolph, who had three rounds in the 60s and finished third."
Randolph's third place finish at the SECs is the best by a Rebel since 1996, when Brian Rowell took second. The Brandon, Miss., native came into the final round one back of the leader, but couldn't make enough birdies. With a 69-68-69-206, Randolph finished two back of South Carolina's George Bryan IV (204) and Georgia's Russell Henry (204). Henley won it a sudden death playoff.
This marks Randolph's seventh top-five and eighth top-10 finish of the year. He is now tied with former All-American Jordan Dempsey for third in top five finishes in a season. He has 12 rounds in the 60s and 25 rounds at or under par this year.
David's 63 is a collegiate career best, and it ties him for the second lowest single round score in Ole Miss history. It also allowed him to move up to 15th place in the final standings with a 212.
Billy Brozovich shot 72, and Pete Kellermann shot 73 to round out the Rebels in the final round. Tom Brown had a 75, which didn't count in the overall score.
On Friday, it looked like the Rebels would shoot themselves out of the tournament, after being 12-over through 12 holes and finishing 10th. But they battled back to post a 284 in the second round which got them into a tie for sixth heading into the final round.
The Rebels have made significant progress since the fall, with Randolph as the only upperclassman and three freshmen in the lineup. After only one top-five finish in the fall, the Rebels have posted five consecutive heading into NCAAs.
"It's a great testament to their perseverance that we kept competing," said Ross of the team's finish. "We were near the bottom of the standings after the first day. On a very tough and tricky golf course, they continued to believe in themselves. I am really proud of them and happy for the progress they have made. Our next step will be NCAA Regionals."
The selections for the NCAA Regionals will be announced Monday, May 10.
SEC MEN'S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP - ST. SIMON'S ISLAND, Ga.
TEAM STANDINGS (FINAL)
1. Georgia 283-277-284--844
T2. Florida 280-292-277--849
T2. Ole Miss 288-284-277--849
4. Arkansas 278-286-289--853
5. LSU 283-288-285--856
6. Kentucky 296-276-285--857
7. Auburn 280-292-287--859
8. Tennessee 283-285-293--861
9. South Carolina 282-288-294--864
10. Vanderbilt 284-298-285--867
11. Mississippi State 282-292-301--875
12. Alabama 297-289-292--878
OLE MISS INDIVIDUALS
3. Jonathan Randolph 69-68-69--206
15. Joe David 77-72-63--212
T26. Billy Brozovich 69-76-72--217
T38 Tom Brown 74-71-75--220
T44 Pete Kellermann 76-73-73--222
