After a slow start in the first two rounds of the SEC men’s golf championship, Mississippi State fired a 281 on the final day of competition to finish 11th at the tournament this past weekend. The third round score was the second best round of the season by MSU dating back to the Magnolia Cup last fall. The tournament was played at the Seaside Course in St. Simons Island, Ga.
Freshman Matt Fast led all Bulldog golfers, firing a 213 for the tournament, including a 68 in the final round to finish in a tie for 14th. The 14th place finish by the Hattiesburg native completed the best finish of his career.
“Matt played awesome during the last two rounds,” said MSU head coach Clay Homan. “He was having some problems with his swing before the tournament, and when we figured that out, things really began to click. He hit 16 greens during the final round, and if he would have made a few more putts, he could have shot in the range of a 63 or 64.”
Freshmen Noah Goldman and Carlos Sainz, Jr. tied for 41st with a tournament score of 221.
Goldman’s tournament was highlighted by a second-round 72 followed by a 73 in the third round. Sainz, Jr. tied a career best round, shooting a 68 in the final round.
Redshirt freshman Logan Young fired a 226 for the tournament and finished in a tie for 52nd while junior Josh Oller shot a 228 and finished in 55th.
“This tournament was a learning experience for our guys,” Homan said. “Having four freshman in the line-up can be tough sometimes, but it is also encouraging to know that they will be there again next year, and they will know what to expect.”
Georgia edged out Florida by one stroke to claim the team title while Florida’s Brett Stegmaier won individual honors.
State will now await NCAA regional selections to see if they will participate in the NCAA East Regional on May 18-20 in Orlando, Fla.