Men’s Golf Tied for Fourth at SBC Championship

Tuesday, April 23

Madison, Miss.

All Day

Troy University

Sun Belt Championship

Men’s Golf Tied for Fourth at SBC Championship

4/23/2024 4:25:00 PM | Golf (M)

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By: Troy Athletics Communications

MADISON, Miss. – It was a roller coaster day for the Troy men's golf team during Tuesday's second round of the Sun Belt Men's Golf Championship. The Trojans shot 4-under on the front nine and 10-over on the back nine to finish the day tied for fourth place with Southern Miss; the top four teams advance to match play on Thursday.

The Trojans finished the day at 6-over, three shots better than their Monday round, thanks to a pair of 1-under 71s from Jake Springer and Nick Fowlkes, while Brantley Scott and Pablo Gracia shot matching 76s and George Burch carded a 77.

Arkansas State carries a comfortable 17-shot advantage into Wednesday's final round of stroke play, but after that it is a jumbled mess of teams. ULM sits in second at 10-over, followed by Marshall (+13), Troy (+15) and Southern Miss (+15). Texas State is just a shot back of the Trojans and Golden Eagles in sixth, while Louisiana and Coastal Carolina are tied for seventh at 17-over.

Troy blitzed the front nine for a combined 14 birdies between its five bags, but the tables turned on the back with just nine birdies and an eagle. However, the big difference came in the form of four doubles and a triple by the Trojans on the back nine.

Springer, who is tied for fifth place, made the turn even and moved to 1-over after a bogey on the par-4 10^th. He moved back even with a birdie on the 13^th and followed with his fifth of the day on the par-3 15^th to move in the red.

Scott's card reached as low as 2-under and as high as 7-over on the day as he carded five birdies, four bogeys, a double-bogey and a triple-bogey to go along with seven pars. He was 2-under after the opening seven holes but then found himself at 7-over after a bogey on 15. Scott, who is tied for 25^th place, righted the ship with three straight birdies to end his day.

Fowlkes, who is tied with Burch for 32^nd place, started behind the eight-ball after back-to-back bogeys to open his round. However, he quickly rebounded with birdies on five of his next six holes to make the turn at 3-under. After back to even-par, he ended his round with a birdie on 18 to close the round at 1-under.

Troy shot 4-under as a team on the final hole of the day thanks to an eagle from Gracia and birdies by Scott and Fowlkes; the Trojans played the 18^th to even-par in Monday's opening round.

Burch was 1-under at the turn but ran into trouble on the back, eventually shooting 77 on the day, while Gracia was the opposite, playing the front at 4-over before back-to-back birdies after making the turn and the eagle on the 532-yard 18^th pulled his card down to 76 and made his bag a counter for the day.

Troy will play Wednesday's final round with Southern Miss and Texas State, with the opening threesome scheduled to tee off at 8:30 a.m. from the 10^th tee box.

Team Standings
1. Arkansas State 288-281—569, 2. ULM 299-287—586, 3. Marshall 299-290—589, T4. Troy 297-294—591, T4. Southern Miss 301-290—59, 6. Texas State 303-289—592, T7. Louisiana 301-292—593, T7. Coastal Carolina 303-290—593, 9. James Madison 302-294—596, 10. Georgia Southern 301-296—597, 11. South Alabama 303-296—599, T12. App State 311-293—604, T12. Old Dominion 305-299—604, 14. Georgia State 305-309—614

Troy Individuals
T5. Jake Springer 72-71—143, T25. Brantley Scott 73-76—149, T32. Nick Fowlkes 79-71—150, T32. George Burch 73-77—150, T58. Pablo Gracia 79-76—155