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Golf Finishes Tied for Seventh

2009-10-27

OCOEE, Fla. - Valdosta State shot a final round 291 to finish tied for seventh at the Rollins Invitational, held at the par-72, 7,095-yard Forest Lake Golf Club Monday and Tuesday. The Blazers opened the tournament with a one-over 289 in each of the first two rounds before finishing the final round with a three-over-par to shoot 869 (five-over) for the tournament. Nova Southeastern claimed team medalist honors in the event with a 19-under 845, followed by St Edward's at 848. Barry and Lynn were two strokes back and tied for fourth while Rollins shot an eight-under 856 to take fifth. Florida Southern rallied in the final round with a three-under 285 to finish one-over with an 865, besting the Blazers and Columbus State by four strokes. Florida Tech took ninth with an 883 followed by Saint Leo (888), Tampa (889), Brevard Community College and Concord (891), Eckerd (897) and Nassau Community College (917). VSU's Chesley Gunn tallied his fourth top 10 finish in as many tournaments this year as he tied for 10th with a three-under 213. Chad Smith tied for 20th with an even par 216 followed by Fredrick Hildebrand at one-over and tied for 24th with a 217. Evan Hanna finished 55th with a 227 while Will Repko rounded out the VSU squad with a 230 to finish tied for 60th. Lynn's Patricio Salem and St. Edward's Collin Mayer each shot an 11-under 205, with Salem claiming individual medalist honors on the second playoff hole. The Blazers take the rest of the winter off before returning to action February 15 at the Matlock Invitational in Lakeland, Fla.

Blazers second at Indian Bayou Classic

2009-10-19

DESTIN, Fla. - Valdosta State shot a two-over 290 to stand second after the first day of play at the Indian Bayou Classic Monday. Host North Alabama claimed the first round lead as it shot a three-under 285 while Clayton State was five strokes behind the Blazers in third at 295. Centenary and Shorter rounded out the top five with a tie for fourth at 296. Chad Smith led the Blazers with a two-under 70 to tie for fifth overall followed by Will Repko with a one-under 71. Chesley Gunn shot a one-over 73 and Fredrick Hildebrand tallied a 76 while Wade Holland rounded out the VSU squad with a 79. The tournament concludes on Tuesday with a single round of play.

Blazers Finish Fourth at Cougar Invite

2009-10-06

COLUMBUS, Ga. - Chesley Gunn fired a four-under 67 in the final round of play to lead Valdosta State to a tie for fourth place at the AFLAC/Cougar Invitational, hosted by Columbus State at the par-71, 6,435-yard Green Island Country Club Tuesday. Gunn and the Blazers entered Tuesday's final round tied for seventh in the team standings with a seven-over 291 after the first round of play, which stretched from Monday into Tuesday morning after getting off to a delayed start due to rain before being stopped due to darkness Monday evening. The Blazers tallied the second best round of the day on Tuesday as they shot an even-par 284, fueled by Gunn's 67. The senior shot a one-over 36 on the front nine before blistering the back nine with a five-under 31. He finished second in the tournament with a four-under 138, but only after missing a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole that would have tied him for individual medalist honors with Georgia Southwestern's Craig Gibson, who shot a six-under 65 on Tuesday to finish at five-under par with a 137. Barry claimed team medalist honors with a seven-under 561, including a six-under 278 on Tuesday, while North Alabama, the first round leader, finished second with a three-over 571. Barton College was a stroke back with a four-over 572 followed by VSU and Lander tied for fourth at 575. Blazer Will Repko shot a pair of 72's to complete the tournament in 25th place with a two-over-par 144 while Evan Hanna was two strokes behind and tied for 43rd. Chad Smith and Frederick Hildebrand tied for 64th overall with a pair of six-over 148's. Valdosta State returns to action Monday, October 19 when it opens play in the Indian Bayou Classic at Indian Bayou Golf Club in Destin, Fla.

Blazers Win Flagler Invitational

2009-09-29

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - Valdosta State shot a final round 303 to claim an 11-stroke victory at the Flagler Invitational, held at the par 72, 7,201-yard Palencia Golf Club Tuesday. The Blazers finished the three-round tournament with a 28-over 892 after totaling the lowest round in two of the tournament's three rounds of play. Tuesday's team total of 303 paced the tournament field, besting USC-Beaufort by three strokes. VSU's Chesley Gunn claimed medalist honors as he shot a three-under 69 on Tuesday to finish as the only golfer under par for the tournament with a three-under 213. USC-Beaufort's Chris Lane was second with a one-over 217 followed by Flagler's Joel Dahlenburg and Tampa's Kris Shane at four-over with a 220. Gunn was joined in the top 10 by Blazers Will Repko and Evan Hanna, who posted a pair of nine-over 225's to tie for eighth in the event. Chad Smith tied for 21st overall with a 13-over 229 while Wade Holland tied for 45th at 236 ( 20). Host Flagler came home second with a 39-over 903 while USC-Beaufort and SCAD were a stroke behind and tied for third. Tampa rounded out the top five with a score of 919, 55-over-par. The Blazers return to action Monday, October 5 when they compete in the AFLAC/Cougar Invitational hosted by Columbus State.

Blazers Lead at Flagler Invitational

2009-09-28

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - Valdosta State followed a first round 293 ( 5) with an eight-over 296 in the second round to grab a three-stroke lead after the first day of play at the Flagler Invitational, being held at the par-72, 7,201-yard Palencia Golf Club Monday. Chelsey Gunn paced the Blazers as he fired 71-73 on the day to stand in third overall with an even-par 144. Will Repko also stood in the Top 10 as he finished the day at three-over 147 (74-73) to tie for ninth through the first two rounds. Chad Smith (73-76) and Evan Hanna (73-75) were a stroke behind and tied for 14th while Wade Holland tied for a 32nd with a nine-over 153 (74-79). Tampa's Chris Shane led the event with a two-under 142, followed by Flagler's Chris Bay at 143 (-1). Host Flagler shot a 16-over 592 to stand second behind Valdosta State while SCAD was third at 597 (21-over). USC-Beaufort (598) and Tampa (606) rounded out the top five. The tournament concludes with a single round of play on Tuesday beginning at 8:00 a.m.

Brent Witcher Named Top DII Golfer

2009-06-07

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Valdosta State senior Brent Witcher was named the recipient of the Jack Nicklaus Award as the nation's top NCAA Division II golfer Sunday. Witcher was awarded his honor the legendary Nicklaus before the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Morgan Stanley at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio Sunday morning. The Lawrenceville, Ga. native led Valdosta State in 10 of its 11 tournaments this season, averaging 71.1 strokes in 31 rounds on the season. Witcher finished in the top five in five tournament, including victories at the AASU/Southbridge Pirate Invitational and the First Federal Southeastern Collegiate during the spring schedule. Witcher was named the Gulf South Conference Player of the Year for the second straight season in April, becoming the first Blazer to earn the honor in back-to-back seasons since Scott Hay did so in 1988 and 1989. He also earned All-America honors for the second straight season as he was a finalist for the Nicklaus Award in 2007-08. "It is an unbelievable honor to be chosen as the national Player of the Year, particularly when you take into account just how many great golfers there are in the Division II ranks," said Witcher after the awards ceremony. "It makes the award even more special that I received it from the greatest golfer to ever play the game. I feel like a lot of hard work has paid off today." Witcher becomes the second Valdosta State golfer to be named the nation's top Division II golfer, joining Briny Baird, who earned the honor in 1994. Witcher tallied 12 top five finishes in 22 career tournaments with the Blazers, including first place finishes in five of those events. His scored counted in 61 of the 63 rounds he played for VSU as he finished outside of the top 20 in just two tournaments during his career.

Blazers Repeat as GSC All-Sports Champs

2009-05-12

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Valdosta State repeated as the Gulf South Conference All-Sports Champions. West Florida took the women's award while the Blazers claimed the men's spot. Both teams were the first to repeat since Jacksonville State in 1992-93. Valdosta State is the first men's team to repeat since North Alabama in 1994-96. The Blazers are only the sixth men's team to repeat since the inception of the award. This marks VSU's sixth time to win the award. The red and black finished with 60 points while Harding came in second with 50. No other team broke the 50-point barrier. Men's tennis won the Gulf South Conference Championship to help the Blazers earn the award while basketball and baseball both finished second in the GSC. Football was third while golf finished fourth. The Lady Blazers finished fifth in the running for the All-Sports award.

Blazer Rally Falls Short

2009-05-06

FLORENCE, Ala. - Valdosta State's rally fell just short as the Blazers shot a final round 288 (E) to finish sixth at the NCAA South/Southeast Super Region at the par 72, 7,126 yard Robert Trent Jones at the Shoals Fighting Joe Course Wednesday. The Blazers entered the final day in 10th place with a 16-over 592 before firing the second-best round of the day to move up four spots with an 880. The sixth place finish left VSU just short of advancing to the NCAA Championships as the top five teams in the Super Regional tournament advance to the national tournament. Georgia College, which tallied a two-under 286 on Wednesday, edged the Blazers by four strokes with a 12-over 876 to claim the fifth and final spot. North Alabama claimed the regional championship as it shot a four-over 868 followed by Lynn at 869. Barry was third with a 10-over 874 while Columbus State finished third at 875 (11-over). Brent Witcher ended his Valdosta State career with a one-under 71 to tie for 16th in the event with a one-over 217. Chad Smith was three strokes back and tied for 24th with a four-over 220 while Chesley Gunn tied for 39th at 223 (seven-over). Cole Willis tied for 56th at 226 (10-over) while Wade Holland rounded out the Blazer squad with a 12-over 228.

Golf Seventh at NCAA Regional

2009-05-04

FLORENCE, Ala. - Valdosta State shot a four-over 292 to tie for seventh after the first round of the NCAA South/Southeast Golf Super Regional Monday at the par 72, 7,126-yard Robert Trent Jones at the Shoals. Host North Alabama claimed the first round lead after shooting a seven-under 281 while Lynn was second with a 284 (-3). Barry shot an even-par 284 to stand third followed by West Florida (289 / 1-over) in fourth and Columbus State and Georgia College tied for fifth at 290 (2-over). Nova Southeastern matched the Blazers with a 292 on the day while Barton and Newberry rounded out the top 10 at 293 (5-over). VSU's Cole Willis shot a two-under 70 to tie for sixth in the first round as Lynn's Chris Goldan claimed the first round lead with a five-under 67. The remaining four Blazers - Wade Holland, Brent Witcher, Chris Smith and Chesley Gunn, all shot a two-over 74 to tie for 43rd. The tournament continues with a single round of play on Tuesday. Willis leads VSU off at 8:20 a.m. while Witcher will be the last off for the Blazers at 9:00 a.m.

Pair of Blazers Earn Golf Honors

2009-04-22

VALDOSTA, Ga. - A pair of Valdosta State golfers were named to the All-Gulf South Conference squad in a vote of the league coaches, as announced by the GSC Office on Wednesday. Brent Witcher led the squad as he was named Gulf South Conference's Player of the Year for the second straight season, the first VSU player to earn the honor in back-to-back seasons since Scott Hay did so in 1988-89. Witcher averaged 71.0 strokes per round in 28 rounds this season and finished in the Top five in five out of 10 tournaments on the year. Overall, he accumulated eight Top 10 finishes and nine Top 20 showings while leading VSU in nine of the 10 events. He earned victories at two spring events as he claimed medalist honors at the AASU/Southbridge Pirate Invitational and the First Federal Southeastern Collegiate. Witcher opens play in the Nationwide Tour's South Georgia Classic on Thursday at 12:20 p.m. as he tees off on the 10th hole. The senior tees off on the first hole on Friday at 9:10 a.m. Cole Willis also earned recognition as he was named to the GSC's Second Team for the second straight season. Willis averaged 74.5 strokes per round in 28 rounds this season while notching four Top 20 finishes. His best finish of the season came at the Dennis Rose Intercollegiate, where he shot an 11-under 205 to finish second.

Blazers Finish Fourth at GSC Tourney

2009-04-21

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Despite improving by two strokes on the team's round two score, Valdosta State finished fourth as a team at the Gulf South Conference tournament. Brent Witcher moved up from 31st in the first round to finish third overall in the tournament with a 215 overall, one under par. The Blazers shot a 286 in round three with the best performance coming from Witcher and Cole Willis. They both shot a 70. Willis would finish 20th with a 224 for the tournament. Valdosta State's 877 put the team 14 strokes behind North Alabama, the first place team with a score of 863. Behind UNA was Arkansas Tech (869) and West Florida (872). Chesley Gunn finished two strokes behind Witcher with a 217, good enough for ninth in the tournament. Wade Holland finished tied for 21st with a third round of 74 to finish at 225. Chad Smith shot a 77 in the third round to finish with a 227 tied for 31st.

Blazers Currently Sit Fourth at GSC Tourney

2009-04-20

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Valdosta State moved from seventh to fourth after two rounds of golf at the Gulf South Conference tournament Monday. After the first round of 18, Valdosta State was seventh in the standings with a total stroke count of 303. Chesley Gunn led the way for VSU with a 71, good enough to tie for second in the standings. Brent Witcher and Wade Holland were tied for 31st with 77s. Chad Smith and Cole Willis shot a 78 and an 80 respectively. Those scores put Smith at 38th and Willis 46th. In the second round, though, the Blazers made some strides. The team improved by 15 strokes to finish round two at 288 and hold a 591 total for the tournament. The improvement shot the team up three spots to fourth behind North Alabama, West Florida and Arkansas Tech in that order. Witcher shot an impressive 68 in the second round to move up to seventh while Gunn shot a 74 to drop into a tie with Witcher at 145. Smith shot a 72, good enough for 21st with a 150 overall. With matching scores of 74 in the second round, Holland moved up to 24th (151) while Willis moved to 30th (154). The final 18 holes to decide the champion will take place Tuesday.

Blazers Finish 10th at Buccaneer Invite

2009-04-07

MIAMI SHORES, Fla. - Valdosta State shot a final round 303 ( 19) to finish 10th out of 14 teams at the Buccaneer Invitational at the par-71, 6,789 yard Normandy Shores Golf Club Tuesday. Host Barry claimed the team championship with a 20-over 872, 26 strokes better than the Blazers who shot a 46-over 898. Johnson and Wales finished second at 873 ( 21) while Nova Southeastern was third at 874 ( 22). Brent Witcher shot a final round 71 to finish tied for 13th with a six-over 219. Wade Holland tied for 42nd with a 228 ( 15) while Cole Willis was a shot back and tied for 49th. Chad Smith shot a 18-over 231 to tie for 54th while Chesley Gunn was disqualified after signing for an incorrect scorecard. The Blazers return to action Monday, April 20 when they begin play in the Gulf South Conference Championships in Hot Springs, Ark.

Blazers Seventh at Buccaneer Invitational

2009-04-06

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. - Valdosta State shot a first round 298 ( 14) and followed it with a second round 297 ( 13) to stand seventh out of 14 teams after the first day of play at the Buccaneer Invitational Monday at the par-71, 6,789 yard Normandy Shores Golf Club. The Blazers finished the day 22 strokes behind tournament leader and host Barry, which shot a five-over 573. Johnson and Wales and Nova Southeastern tied for second at 578 ( 10) while Lynn was fourth at 589 ( 21). Florida Tech and Broward Community College tied for fifth at 591 ( 23) while Flagler and Northwood tied with VSU for seventh. Brent Witcher rebounded from a first round 77 ( 6) to shot an even par 71 to stand tied for 23rd at 148 ( 6). Chesley Gunn shot a 72 ( 1) and 76 ( 5) to tie with Witcher at 148 while Cole Willis and Wade Holland tied for 36th at 150 ( 8). Chad Smith rounded out the VSU squad with a 14-over 156. The tournament concludes with a single round Tuesday morning.

Blazers Finish Fourth at Bobcat Invitational

2009-03-24

LAKE OCONEE, Ga. - Valdosta State shot a final round 294 ( 14) to finish fourth out of 18 teams at the at Bobcat Invitational held at par 70, 6,730 yard Cuscowilla Golf Club at Lake Oconee Tuesday. The Blazers tallied a three-round total of 876 ( 36) to finish 17 strokes behind tournament winner and host Georgia College, which shot a 19-over 559. Columbus State, who led entering the Tuesday final round, was second at 866 ( 26) followed by Nova Southeastern, which shot an 870 ( 30). Barry and Florida Southern rounded out the top five at 877 ( 37). Brent Witcher led the Blazers as he finished five-over par with a 215 to tie for ninth. Chad Smith tied for 29th with a 221 ( 11) while Cole Willis was two shots back and tied for 36th. Chesley Gunn finished 39th with a 224 while Will Repko rounded out the Blazer squad with a 23-over 233. GCSU's Francisco Bide claimed individual medalist honors as he shot a four-under 66 on Tuesday to finish the tournament as the only golfer under par with a two-under 208. The Blazers return to action Monday, April 6 when they begin play in the Buccaneer Invitational in Miami, Fla.

Blazers Fifth at Bobcat Invitational

2009-03-23

LAKE OCONEE, Ga. - Valdosta State followed a first round 297 ( 17) with a second round 285 ( 5) to stand fifth after the first day of play at Bobcat Invitational at par 72, 6,730 yard Cuscowilla Golf Club at Lake Oconee Monday. The Blazers totaled a 22-over 582 on the day to stand 18 strokes behind tournament leader Columbus State, who shot a 564 ( 4). Host Georgia College was second at 572 ( 12) followed by Nova Southeastern (579 / 19) and Florida Southern (581 / 21). Brent Witcher paced the Blazers as he followed a three-over 73 with a one-under 69 to tie for eighth on the day with a two-over 142. Chad Smith (74-73) was seven-over with a 147 to tie for 29th while Chesley Gunn followed a first round 80 with a 70 to tie for 38th with a 150 ( 10). Cole Willis (77-73) also shot a 150 to tie for 38th while Will Repko tied for 66th with a 15-over 155. GCSU's Pedro de Costa Lima claimed the individual lead with a one-under 139 while five players tied for second with an even par 140. The tournament concludes with a single round Tuesday beginning at 8:22 p.m.

Witcher Wins First Federal Southeastern Collegiate

2009-03-17

VALDOSTA, Ga. - Nova Southeastern claimed a one-stroke victory on the second hole of a playoff to win the First Federal Southeastern Collegiate at the par-72, 7,127 yard Kinderlou Forest Golf Club Tuesday. The Sharks entered the day trailing Georgia College by three strokes, but shot a three-under 285 on the day to force the playoff. After both teams shot par on the first hole, NSU finished one under on the second hole to claim the victory. Nova Southeastern and Georgia College, which shot an even par 288 Tuesday, finished the tournament with an eight-under 856 while Valdosta State finished third with an even par 864 after shooting a one-over 289 in the final round. Florida Southern also shot a 285 on Tuesday to finish fourth with a one-over 865 while Lynn was fifth with a four-over 868. Barry shot an 870 ( 6) to finish sixth followed by Rollins with an 871 ( 7). West Florida finished eighth with an 875 ( 11) and Clayton State ninth with an 877 ( 13) while Florida Tech came home 10th at 880 ( 16). Lander shot an 883 ( 19) to finish 11th and North Alabama was a stroke behind in 11th with an 884 ( 20). Carson-Newman (888 / 24), West Georgia (894 ( 30), Chico State (900 / 36), Delta State (906 / 42) and Eckerd (915 / 51) closed out the field. The Blazers' Brent Witcher claimed individual medalist honors as he finished the tournament six-under par with a 210. Clayton State's Wade Binfield was a stroke behind in second while Florida Southern's Matt Stauch, Valdosta State's Chad Smith, GCSU's Niclas Johannson, NSU's Greg O'Mahony and Lynn's Patricio Salem tied for third at four-under 212. The remainder of the Valdosta State squad included Chesley Gunn tying for 32nd with a four-over 220 while Will Repko tied for 54th at 224 ( 8). Cole Willis was 11-over with a 227 to tie for 65th. The Blazers also had five individuals play in the event, led by Joel Durrance, who tied for 21st with a two-over 218. Nick Joy and Wade Holland tied for 32nd with a four-over 220 while Bobby Dyer tied for 77th at 232 ( 16). Jason Groover rounded out the VSU players with a 244 ( 28) to finish 88th. The Blazers return to action Monday, March 23 when they begin play in the Bobcat Invitational in Lake Oconee, Ga.

Witcher Retains Lead at First Federal Southeastern Collegiate

2009-03-16

VALDOSTA, Ga. - Georgia College fired a five-under 283 to retain its lead after the second round of play of the First Federal Southeastern Collegiate at the par-72, 7,127-yard Kinderlou Forest Golf Club Sunday. Just one of the five GCSU players shot over par on the day as the Bobcats tallied a two round total of 568 (eight-under) to claim a three stroke lead over Nova Southeastern, who was also five-under with a 283 to total a 571 for the tournament. Host Valdosta State shot an even-par 288 to stand third with a 575 (one-under) while Lynn was fourth with a one-over 577 after also shooting a 577 on Monday. Barry jumped from eighth to fifth with a five-under 283 on Monday that gave them a three-over 579 for the tournament followed by Rollins (291 / 3) and Florida Southern (288 / E) tied for sixth at 580 ( 4). Florida Tech was also five-under on Monday and is eighth with a seven-over 583 while North Alabama (289 / 1) finished the day ninth with a 588 ( 12). West Florida shot a 2898 ( 10) to drop to 10th with a 13-over 589 followed by Lander (287 / -1) in 11th with a 591 ( 15). Delta State was a stroke behind and in 12th after shooting a 292 ( 4) on Monday while Carson Newman (294 / 6) and Clayton State (295 / 7) tied for 13th at 595 ( 19). West Georgia (290 / 2) finished the day 15th at 596 ( 20) while Chico State (294 / 6) jumped one spot to 16th at 604 ( 28). Eckerd (306 / 18) rounded out the field with a two round total of 605 ( 29). Valdosta State's Brent Witcher retained his individual lead as he shot a three-under 69 to tally a two round total of seven-under-par 137. Lynn's Chris Goldan shot the low round of the day, a four-under 68, and jumped to second with a 140 (-4) while six players tied for third with a three-under 141. VSU's Chad Smith shot a two-under 70 and is tied for ninth with a two-under 142 while Chesley Gunn (74 / 2) and Will Repko (75 / 3) are tied for 48th at 149 ( 5). Cole Willis rounded out the Blazer squad with a five-over 77 on Monday and is tied for 55th with a 150 ( 6). Valdosta State also had five individuals play in the event, led by Joel Durrance who shot a one-under 71 and now stands tied for 13th with a one-under 143. Nick Joy (72 / E) is a stroke behind and tied for 16th at 144 (E) while Bobby Dyer (79 / 7) and Wade Holland (75 / 3) are tied for 55th at 150 ( 6). Jason Groover (79 / 7) rounded out the VSU competitors as he tied for 87th with a 161 ( 17). The tournament will concludes with a single round of competition beginning at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. Valdosta State's five individuals will go off the 10th tee beginning at 8:30 a.m. while the Valdosta State team will begin play off the first tee at 10:00 a.m.

Blazers Second at First Federal Southeastern Collegiate

2009-03-15

VALDOSTA, Ga. - Georgia College fired a three-under 285 to claim the lead after the first round of play of the First Federal Southeastern Collegiate at the par-72, 7,127-yard Kinderlou Forest Golf Club Sunday. Just one of the five GCSU players shot over par on the day as the Bobcats claimed a two-stroke lead over host Valdosta State, which shot a one-under 287. Nova Southeastern was a stroke behind in third with an even-par 288 while Rollins and Lynn tied for fourth at 289 ( 1) followed by West Florida in sixth with a three-over 291. Florida Southern was a stroke behind the Argonauts and in seventh place with a 292 ( 4) followed by Barry in eight at 296 ( 8) and North Alabama and Eckerd tied for ninth at 299 ( 11). Delta State, Clayton State and Florida Tech all shot 300 ( 12) to tie for 11th while Carson-Newman (301 / 13), Lander (304 / 16), West Georgia (306 / 18) and Chico State (310 / 22) rounded out the field. Valdosta State's Brent Witcher shot a four-under 68 in the round to claim the individual lead, besting Nova Southeastern's Diego Lobo by a single stroke. GCSU's Niclas Johansson, Rollins' J.D. Guinney, Lynn's Chris Goldan, Florida Southern's Brian Richey and Eckerd's Luca Bell all shot a two-under 70 to tie for third. VSU's Chad Smith tied for 15th on the day as he shot an even-par 72 while Cole Willis was a shot behind and tied for 27th with a 73. Will Repko tied for 36th with a 74 while Chesley Gunn rounded out the Blazer squad with a three-over 75 to tie for 44th. Valdosta State also had five individuals play in the event, led by Bobby Dyer who shot a one-under 71 to tie for eighth. Joel Durrance and Nick Joy each shot a 72 (E) to tie for 15th while Wade Holland tallied a three-over 75 to tie for 44th. Jason Groover rounded out the VSU competitors with an 82 ( 10) to stand 88th. The tournament will continue with a single round of play on Monday beginning at 9:00 a.m. The round, which was originally scheduled for a fixed tee-time start, has been switched to a shotgun start due to threatening weather that is supposed to move into the area during the afternoon.

Blazers Tie for First at AASU Invite

2009-02-24

SAVANNAH, Ga. - Valdosta State shot a final round 308 ( 20) to finish tied for first at the AASU/Southbridge Pirate Invitational Tuesday at the par 72, 6,922 yard Southbridge Golf Club. VSU's Brent Witcher fired a four-under 68 in the final round to claim medalist honors with a three-round total of 207 (nine-under). The senior easily out-distanced Newberry's Daniel Stanley, who finished second with a two-under 214. The victory marked the fourth time in his career Witcher finished first in a tournament. The Blazers entered Tuesday's final round with a 10 stroke lead over Lander, who finished second after recording one of only three teams scores, out of the 12 schools competing, under 300 on the day. LU and VSU tied with a 31-over 895 for the tournament, edging host Armstrong Atlantic by a single stroke. Newberry was fourth with a 901 ( 37) while Coker and Georgia College tied for fifth at 903 ( 39). Valdosta State's Chesley Gunn finished tied for 13th in the event with a 226 ( 10) while Wade Holland tied for 32nd at 234 ( 18). Chad Smith was a stroke behind and tied for 36th while Cole Willis finished tied for 42nd with a 237 ( 21). The Blazers return to action March 15 when they host the First Federal Southeastern Collegiate at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club.

Blazers Take 10-Stroke Lead at AASU

2009-02-23

SAVANNAH, Ga. - Valdosta State shot a two round total of 587 ( 11) to take a 10 stroke lead after the first day of play at the AASU/Southbridge Pirate Invitational, being held at the par-72, 6,922-yard Southbridge Golf Club Monday. The Blazers fired an opening round 295 ( 7) to tie with Newberry before shooting a four-over 292 in the second round of the day to claim the lead. Newberry and Lander tied for second on the day with a 21-over 597 while host Armstrong Atlantic was fourth with a 598 ( 22). Georgia College rounded out the top five with a 601 ( 25). VSU's Brent Witcher was one of only two golfers to shoot under par on the day, finishing the day with a five-under 139 to claim the individual lead for the tournament. Witcher began the day with a three-under 69 despite teeing off in 29 degree temperatures and with frost on the ground. He followed with a two-under 70 to best Georgia College's Niclas Johannson by three strokes for the overall lead. Chesley Gunn was five-over par with a 149 and tied for 12th in the event while Cole Willis shot a 152 ( 8) to stand tied for 18th. Chad Smith and Wade Holland were one stroke behind and tied for 24th overall. The tournament concludes with a single round of play on Tuesday. The Blazers tee off beginning at 10:00 a.m.

Golf Finishes Eighth at Matlock Collegiate

2009-02-17

LAKELAND, Fla. - Valdosta State shot a final round 299 ( 11) to finish eighth at the Matlock Collegiate Classic at the par-72, 7065-yard Lone Palm Golf Club Tuesday. The Blazers tallied a 13-over 877 to finish 19 strokes behind tournament winner Clayton State. Columbus State was second with an even-par 864 while West Florida finished third at 869 ( 5). Georgia College was a stroke behind n fourth and Newberry shot an 872 ( 8) to round out the top five. Nova Southeastern and Saint Leo tied for sixth with an 874 ( 10). VSU was paced by Brent Witcher, who shot a five-under 211 to tie for third. Cole Willis tied for 20th with a three-over 219 while Chad Smith finished tied for 33rd with a 223 ( 7). Chesley Gunn was a stroke behind and tied for 39th while Joel Durrance rounded out the Blazer squad with a 239 ( 23) to finish 71st. Valdosta State returns to action Monday, February 23 when it opens play at the Pirate Invitational at the Southbridge Golf Club in Savannah, Ga.

Golf Fourth at Matlock Collegiate Classic

2009-02-16

LAKELAND, Fla. - Valdosta State followed a first round 290 ( 2) with an even-par 288 to finish the first day of action at the Matlock Collegiate Classic with a two-over 578 at the par-72, 7,065-yard Lone Palm Golf Club Monday. VSU finished the day's play in fourth place in the event, which was led by Clayton State at 564 (12-under). Newberry finished the day second with an even-par 576 while West Florida was third with a 577 ( 1). Lynn was a stroke behind the Blazers with a 579 ( 3) to round out the top five. Two Blazers finished the day's play in the top 10, led by Brent Witcher who shot a three-under 141 to tie for fourth overall. Cole Willis was two-under with a 142 and tied for sixth while Chesley Gunn tied for 29th with a three-over 147. Chad Smith was a shot behind and tied for 35th with a 148 while Joel Durrance rounded out the Valdosta State squad with a 14-over 158 to tie for 69th. The tournament concludes with a single round of play Tuesday morning.

Brent Witcher to Compete in South Georgia Classic

2009-02-05

VALDOSTA, Ga. - Valdosta State senior golfer Brent Witcher has received a sponsor's exemption to compete in the Nationwide Tour's 2009 South Georgia Classic Presented by First State Bank at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club in April. The South Georgia Classic, now in its third year, has quickly become one of the premiere events on the Nationwide Tour. The 2009 tournament will be held Thursday, April 23 through Sunday, April 26. Witcher will miss two days of the pre-tournament festivities, including one day of pro-am play and a practice day, as he joins his Blazer teammates at the Gulf South Conference Championship Tournament on the Monday and Tuesday of the event. "Considering that the Nationwide attracts players from all over the nation and world, its very exciting to have one of the local community players be given a sponsor's to showcase his skills in this year's event," said James McGahee, CEO of South Georgia Medical Center, the host organization of the tournament, in making the announcement. Witcher's selection to compete in the 2009 event comes after a remarkable 2007-08 golf season that saw him tally 11 Top 10 finishes, including three first-place showings, in 15 tournaments. He was selected the GSC Golfer of the Year in April 2008 and later earned All-America honors. Witcher was also a finalist for the Nickalaus Award, given to the nation's top NCAA Division II golfer, and represented the United States in the prestigious Fuji Xerox USA vs. Japan Cup competition in Tokyo, Japan last summer. "I'm very excited and honored to be chosen to play in the South Georgia Classic, because I know they have a lot of people that want to get this exemption," Witcher said on learning of the news. "It's a well-run tournament with a lot of good players and I feel privileged that First State Bank and South Georgia Medical Center have picked me to represent Valdosta." Witcher and the Blazers open their Spring 2009 schedule February 16 when they open play in the Matlock Collegiate at Lone Palm Golf Club in Lakeland, Fla.

Briny Baird to Take Part In Golf Fundraiser

2008-11-14

Valdosta State Fans, come out and golf with the pros... Former Valdosta State great Briny Baird will host a 4-man Scramble Fundraiser for the Blazer Golf program on Thursday, December 4, 2008 at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club. The event will start with a clinic on the driving range hosted by Baird at 10:30 a.m. followed by a shotgun start at 11:00 a.m. For more information on the event and to sign up, download the Scramble Flyer here. Completed entry forms can be returned to the VSU Department of Athletics in the P.E. Complex or faxed to 229-333-5972.

Golf Ties for First, Falls in Playoff

2008-10-29

KONA, Hawaii - Valdosta State shot a final round 286 (two-under) to tie for first, but fell to St. Edwards in a playoff, at the Dennis Rose Intercollegiate Tuesday at the par-72, 6913-yard Mauna Lani North Course. The Blazers entered the final round with a four-stroke lead over St. Edwards, who shot a 282 (minus-6) on the day to force the playoff. Both teams finished the tournament with a 21-under-par 843, which bested third-place Sonoma State by seven strokes. Western Washington was fourth with an 856 (minus-8) while Hawaii-Hilo was a stroke behind in fifth. Cole Willis led the Blazers as he finished second with a 205 (minus-11) after shooting a five-under 67 on Tuesday while Brent Witcher was sixth overall with a 208 (minus-8). Wade Holland tied for 11th with a three-under 213 and Chad Smith was one-over with a 217 to tie for 21st in the event. Joel Durrance rounded out the VSU team with a 227 ( 11) to tie for 47th. The event closes out the Blazers' fall schedule. Valdosta State returns to action Monday, February 16 when it takes part in the Matlock Invitational, hosted by Florida Southern in Lakeland, Fla.

Golf First After Two Rounds in Hawaii

2008-10-28

KONA, Hawaii - Valdosta State followed a nine-under 279 in the first round with a 10-under 278 in Monday's second round to grab the first day lead at the Dennis Rose Intercollegiate at the par-72, 6913-yard Mauna Lani North Course. Three of the five Blazers were under par in each of the first two rounds, led by Brent Witcher who shot 68-67 to stand second with a 135 (minus 9). Cole Willis was three strokes behind and tied for third after shooting 70-68 while Wade Holland fired a five-under 139 (68-71) to finish the day seventh. Chad Smith was one-over-par with a 145 after shooting a 73 and a 72 to tie for 22nd while Joel Durrance tallied a 74-76 to tie for 41st with a six-over 150. St. Edward's Andrew Workman shot a 134 in the first two rounds to claim a one stroke lead over Witcher for the individual lead. VSU's 557 (19-under-par) topped St. Edward's (561) by four strokes while Sonoma State was third with a 565 (11-under). St. Martin's was fourth with a 570 (minus-6) while Hawaii-Hilo and Western Washington each shot a three-under 573 to tie for fifth. The tournament concludes with a single round of competition on Tuesday. The final round will begin at 8:00 a.m. HST, or 2:00 p.m. EDT.

Golf Finishes Tied for Eighth at Shark Invite

2008-10-14

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. - Valdosta State shot a 16-over-par 304 in the final round to finish tied for eighth, out of 15 teams, at the NSU Shark Invitational at the par-72, 6,806-yard Haig Course at PGA National Tuesday. Barry claimed the team title with a one-over 577, defeating host Nova Southeastern by 14 strokes. Indianapolis was third at 593 (plus-17) followed by Lynn at 597 and Embry-Riddle at 599. Division I Florida Atlantic finished sixth at 24-over-par (600) while Flagler was seventh at 602. VSU and Florida Tech shot a pair of 608's (plus-32) while Division I Rutgers closed out the top 10 at 612. Brent Witcher shot a two-under 70 on Tuesday and finished the tournament tied for 7th with a one-over 145 while Cole Willis tied for 20th at 150 (plus-six). Will Repko finished at 156 to tie for 46th while Chad Smith was two strokes behind and tied for 49th. Chesley Gunn closed out the VSU squad with a 160 (plus-16) to tie for 57th. Barry's Chris Carlin claimed the individual title with a two-under 142. The Blazers return to action Monday, October 27 when they begin play in the Dennis Rose Intercollegiate in Kona, Hawaii.

Blazers Tied for Seventh at NSU Shark Invitational

2008-10-13

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. - Valdosta State shot a 16-over-par 304 on a water-logged course to finish the first day of play tied for seventh, out of 15 teams, at the NSU Shark Invitational Monday. The Monday's first day of play was originally scheduled for 36 holes, but the contestants played through rain for much of the day before a three-hour lightning delay in the afternoon caused the cancellation of the second round of play. Barry claimed the first round lead with a seven-under 281 while host Nova Southeastern was second at two-over (290). Indianapolis was five strokes behind in third while Division I Florida Atlantic claimed fourth at 12-over-par (300). Lynn and Flagler bested the Blazers by two strokes (302) to tie for fifth while Florida Tech matched VSU at 304. Embry-Riddle finished the day ninth at 305 while Eckerd and Division I Rutgers tied for 10th at 19-over (307). Another Division I squad, Navy, was 12th at 314 (plus-26) followed by Northwood (319), McDaniel (322) and Post (323). Cole Willis led the Blazers on the day with an even-par 72 to stand tied for eighth while Brent Witcher was three-over and tied for 22nd. Will Repko was a stroke behind Witcher and tied for 32nd while Chesley Gunn and Chad Smith tied for 55th with a pair of 81's (plus-9). Barry's Matt Jonah claimed the first round lead with a three-under 69 while followed by a pair of his teammates, Carlos Velez and Chris Carlin, as well as Indianapolis' Justin Hueber at 70 (-2). The tournament concludes with a single round of play on Tuesday morning.

Blazers Finish 10th at AFLAC/Cougar Invitational

2008-10-08

COLUMBUS, Ga. - Valdosta State shot a 13-over 296 in the final round of the AFLAC/Cougar Invitational to finish tied for 10th out of 17 teams at the par-71, 6,515-yard Country Club of Columbus Monday. USC-Aiken was seven-under-par in the final round to claim a three stroke victory over Florida Southern while host Columbus State was third at 574 (plus-6). Lander finished the tournament in fourth with a 576 while Lynn was fifth (580 / plus-12) and Georgia College sixth (583 / plus-15). North Alabama and Barry were both 17-over par with a 585 and tied for seventh while Georgia Southwestern shot a 592 (plus-24) to edge the Blazers and Clayton State by a single stroke. Brent Witcher shot a pair of 72's in the tournament to finish two-over and tied for 11th while Cole Willis tied for 33th after shooting 74 (plus-6) in both rounds.. Will Repko was a stroke behind Willis and tied for 41st with a 149 while Chesley Gunn shot a 76-76 (plus-10) to tie for 58th. Chad Smith rounded out the VSU squad with a 154 (plus-12) to tie for 66th. FSC's Jude Eustaquio claimed individual medalist honors with a 135 (-7) followed by a pair of players at four-under. The Blazers return to action Monday, October 13 when they begin play in the NSU Shark Invitational.

Blazers 11th at AFLAC/Cougar Invite

2008-10-06

COLUMBUS, Ga. - Valdosta State shot a 14-over 297 in the first round of the AFLAC/Cougar Invitational at the par-71, 6,515-yard Country Club of Columbus Monday. Host Columbus State claimed the first round lead as the Cougars shot an even-par 284 while Lynn was two shots back in second. North Alabama and Georgia College tied for third at 287 ( 3) while Florida Southern rounded out the top five with a five-over 289. Brent Witcher led the Blazers with a one-over 72 to tie for 17th while Cole Willis tied for 37th with a 74 ( 3). Will Repko was a stroke behind Willis and tied for 47th while Chesley Gunn shot a 76 ( 5) to tie for 51st. Chad Smith rounded out the VSU squad with a seven-over 78 to tie for 70th. FSC's Jude Eustaquio claimed the first round lead with a three-under 68 followed by three players tied for second with a 69 (-2). The tournament concludes with a single round beginning Tuesday morning at 8:00 a.m.

Blazers Finish Ninth at Laker Invite

2008-09-30

HAMPTON, Ga. - Valdosta State shot a final round 299 ( 11) to finish the State Farm Laker Collegiate in ninth place, out of 13 teams, with a three round total of 884 ( 20) at the par-72, 7,202-yard Crystal Lake Golf and Country Club. Senior Brent Witcher led the Blazers with a two-under 214 to finish fourth at the event while Chesley Gunn tied for 29th with a 221 ( 5). Cole Willis tied for 42nd with a 224 ( 8) and Wade Holland tied for 52nd with a 10-over 226. Brad Skinner rounded out the VSU contingent with a 232 ( 16). West Florida claimed the team title with an even par 864 while UNC Pembroke finished second with an 870 ( 4). Host Clayton State and Georgia College tied for third at 871 ( 5) while Lander (874) was three strokes behind in fifth. Carson-Newman shot an 880 ( 16) to finish sixth, beating Georgia Southwestern by a stroke and Florida Tech by two strokes. UNCP's Jordan Walor claimed the individual title with a 211 (-5) while Carson-Newman's Brad Robinson was second with a four-under 212. Georgia College's Joe Young shot a 213 (-3) to edge Witcher for third. Valdosta State returns to action Monday, October 6 when it takes part in the Cougar Invitational in Columbus, Ga.

Golf Seventh at Clayton State Tournament

2008-09-29

HAMPTON, Ga. - Valdosta State followed a first round 293 with a second round 292 to stand seventh, out of 13 teams, after the first day of play at the State Farm Laker Classic Monday at the par 72, 7,202-yard Crystal Lake Golf and Country Club. Defending national champion West Florida claimed the first day lead with a 571 (-5) followed by Georgia College with a one-over 577. Lander stood third with a 580 ( 4) while UNC Pembroke, Carson-Newman and Clayton State tied for fourth at 581 ( 5), four strokes better than the Blazers' 585 ( 9). Montevallo (587/ 11), Georgia Southwestern (588/ 12) and Florida Tech (589/ 13) rounded out the top ten. Blazer Brent Witcher shot a three-under 141 to stand tied for fourth after the first two rounds while Chelsey Gunn was three-over par with a 147 and tied for 29th. Cole Willis shot a pair of 74's to tie for 38th with a four-over 148 and Wade Holland was a shot behind, tied for 46th with a 149 ( 5). Brad Skinner rounded out the VSU team with a 156 ( 12) to tie for 76th. The tournament concludes with a single round of action Tuesday morning.

Witcher Qualifies for U.S. Amateur Championship

2008-08-06

DULUTH, Ga. - Valdosta State golfer Brent Witcher qualified for the 2008 U.S. Amateur Championship after tying for medalist honors at the U.S. Amateur Championship Qualifier at the par 72 The Standard Club Tuesday. Witcher finished with a two-round total of 137 (-7) as he shot an opening round 67 (-5) Monday before finishing with a 70 (-2) on Tuesday. Witcher's score matched Sea Island's Jack Hall for low score in the tournament as the duo easily out-distanced a trio of golfers who finished tied for third at 140 (-4). Witcher and five additional qualifiers advance to the 108th annual U.S. Amateur Championship, which takes place at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club in Village of Pinehurst, N.C., August 18-24. Fans wishing to follow Witcher%u2019s progress in the event can log on to www.usamateur.org.

Witcher Leads USA to 7-5 Opening Round Advantage

2008-07-16

TOKYO, Japan - Valdosta State's Brent Witcher fired a four-under 67 to lead the United States to a 7-5 opening round lead at the Fuji Xerox USA vs. Japan Collegiate Golf Championship Wednesday. Witcher teamed with Armstrong Atlantic's Chris Wolfe, who fired a 75 on the round, to tally an even par 142 match score, which edged Japan%u2019s Hiroki Abe and Hiroki Nishida by a single stroke. The victory earned the USA two points on the day as the scoring for the round included two points for a match win and one point if the two sides halved the match. The U.S. claimed victory in two additional matches as North Carolina's Kevin O'Connell and UAB's Zack Sucher defeated Daisuke Okabe and Yoshihiro Kamei 140-153 while on the women's side Cydney Clanton of Auburn and Jessica Yadloczky from Florida downed Yumi Takabayashi and Hiroko Ayada 146-151. Point Loma Nazarene's Sam Cyr and Pepperdine's Andrew Putnam earned the final United State point as they tied Shintaro Kobayashi and Tomohiro Wakabayshi with a 146 to half the match. Japan won a pair of matches on the day as Yuki Usami and Shunsuke Sonoda defeated Methodist's Nick Bova and Wichita State's Ryan Spears 138-141 on the men%u2019s side while Nanae Shinzato and Kaori Azuma downed UCLA's Sydnee Michaels and USC's Lizette Salas 145-147. The tournament continues Thursday with the first of two rounds of individual matches. Witcher will face Okabe in the second round while the tournament continues with a final round of individual matches on Friday. The United States holds a 24-8 lead in the all-time series versus Japan and has won the last eight events held in Japan.

Willis Garners Honorable Mention All-America

2008-05-27

VALDOSTA, Ga. - Valdosta State junior Cole Willis has earned honorable mention on the Ping All-America squad according to an announcement made by the Golf Coaches Association of America Tuesday. Willis averaged 74.2 strokes per round on the season while playing in all 11 VSU tournaments. He registered two Top Five and five Top 20 finishes on the season and had his round count in 28 of the Blazers' 32 rounds on the year. Willis joins fellow junior Brent Witcher, who was named first-team All-America last week, as Blazer golfers honored by Ping and the GCAA.

Witcher Named Ping All-America

2008-05-21

VALDOSTA, Ga. - After completing one of the most impressive seasons in recent Valdosta State golf history, VSU junior Brent Witcher has earned a pair of his sport's top honors as he has been named to represent the United States in the 2008 Fuji Xerox USA vs. Japan Collegiate Golf Championship while also earning Ping All-America honors from the Golf Coaches Association of America. Witcher is one of 12 U.S. golfers, including eight men and four women, who will travel to Tokyo, Japan and the Tokyo Golf Club in July for the 33rd annual competition between the two countries%u2019 top collegiate golfers. He will be joined on the U.S. squad by Wichita State's Ryan Spears, Nick Bova of Methodist, Auburn's Cydney Clanton, Sam Cyr of Point Loma Nazarene, UCLA's Sydnee Michaels, Kevin O'Connell of North Carolina, Pepperdine's Andrew Putnam, Lizette Salas of Southern California, Zack Sucher of UAB, Chris Wolfe of Armstrong Atlantic State and Florida's Jessica Yadloczky. Witcher was one of nine golfers to earn first-team All-America status from the GCAA. He was joined by Jude Eustaquio of Florida Southern, USC-Aiken's Jeff Goff, Erick Justesen of CSU-Stanislaus, West Florida's Tobia Rosendahl and Kyle Scott, Jarin Todd of Sonoma State, Clayton State's Will Wilcox and Chris Wolfe of Armstrong Atlantic. Witcher finished in the top five in seven of Valdosta State's 11 tournaments this past season while finishing in the top 10 in two additional events. He averaged 71.5 strokes per round in his 32 rounds on the year and had his score count towards the overall VSU total in 31 of those 32 rounds.

Blazers Finish Eighth at NCAA Regional

2008-05-07

AUSTIN, Texas %u2013 Valdosta State shot a final round 298 ( 14) to finish eighth at the NCAA South Regional with a three-round total of 885 ( 33) at the par-71, 6,805-yard Gray Rock Golf Course Wednesday. West Florida claimed the team title with a 12-under 840 while Nova Southeastern was four strokes back with a 848 (-8). Florida Southern finished third with a four-over 856 while North Alabama claimed fourth with an 858 ( 6). Barry tallied a fifth-place finish with a 17-over 869 and followed by Lynn (874 / 22) and Florida Tech (879 / 27). Nate Balanis paced the Blazers with a five-over 218 to finish tied for 23rd in the tournament while Brent Witcher was two strokes behind and tied for 30th. Jason Flowers, who paced VSU with an even-par 71 on Wednesday, finished 33rd at 222 ( 9) while Cole Willis tied for 35th at 225 ( 12) and Chad Smith 45th at 234 ( 21).

Blazers Seventh after Second Round

2008-05-06

AUSTIN, Texas %u2013 Valdosta State shot a six-over 290 Tuesday for a two-round total of 587 ( 19) to tie for seventh at the NCAA South Regional, being held at the par-71, 6,805-yard Grey Rock Golf Course. West Florida tallied a five-under 279 Tuesday to stand at 558 (-10) to claim first after the first two rounds. Nova Southeastern finished the day six strokes back with a 564 (-4) after shooting a four-under 280 while North Alabama (286 / 2) was third at 571 ( 7). Florida Southern shot a 14-over 298 to claim fourth at 573 ( 9) followed by Barry (292 / 8) and Florida Tech (286 / 2) tied for fifth at 586 ( 17). Lynn (293 / 9) matched the Blazers at 587. VSU's Brent Witcher shot a one-over 72 on Tuesday and stands 10th in the event with a 143 ( 1) while Nathaniel Balanis (71 / E) is tied for 16th with a three-over 145. Cole Willis (72 / 1) is tied for 30th at 148 ( 6) followed by Jason Flowers (75 / 4) in 35th at (151 / 9) and Chad Smith (75 / 4) tied for 40th at 154 ( 12). The tournament concludes with a single round beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

Blazers Seventh at NCAA South Region

2008-05-05

AUSTIN, Texas - Valdosta State shot a first round 297 ( 13) to stand seventh after the first round of the NCAA South Regional at the par-71, 6,805-yard Grey Rock Golf Course Monday. West Florida and Florida Southern led the regional action after the first round of play as each shot a five-under 279. Nova Southeastern tallied a 284 (E) to stand third while North Alabama was in fourth with a five-over 289. Lynn and Barry tied for fifth at 294 ( 7) while Florida Tech tallied a 302 ( 18) to finish the day eighth. VSU's Brent Witcher tied for eighth on the day as he tallied an even-par 71 while Nathaniel Balanis tied for 22nd with a 74 ( 3). Jason Flowers and Cole Willis tied for 31st with a pair of 76's ( 5) while Chad Smith shot a 79 ( 8) to finish the first round 42nd. The tournament continues with the second round Tuesday morning beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Golf Earns NCAA Regional Bid

2008-04-28

VALDOSTA, Ga. - The Valdosta State golf team will be one of eight teams to represent the NCAA South Region at the South/South Central Super Regional according to an announcement made by the NCAA on Monday. The Blazers, who earned the South's No. 4 seed, are one of three Gulf South Conference teams to earn a bid to the region, joining No. 1 West Florida and No. 8 North Alabama. Florida Southern (No. 2), Nova Southeastern (No. 3), Barry (No. 5), Lynn (No. 6) and Florida Tech (No. 7) round out the South Region participants. The South Central Region features No. 1 Central Oklahoma, No. 2 St. Edwards, who will host the event, No. 3 Abilene Christian, No. 4 Cameron, No. 5 Northeastern State, No. 6 Southwestern Oklahoma State, No. 7 Southeastern Oklahoma State and No. 8 St. Mary%u2019s. Ten individuals, five from each region, will also compete. The tournament will be held at the Par-71 Grey Rock Golf Club in Austin, Texas. Play will begin on Monday, May 5 with a single round. Round two will be held on Tuesday, May 6 with the third and final round occurring on Wednesday, May 7. The top two finishing teams from each region advances to the NCAA Championship, as will the next three top finishing teams for the Super Regional as a whole.

Blazers Finish Third at GSC Championships

2008-04-22

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Valdosta State shot a final round 280 (-8) to finish third at the Gulf South Conference Championships held Tuesday at the par-72, 6,690-yard Hot Springs Country Club. The Blazers finished the three-round tournament with a total of 877 ( 13), 21 strokes behind tournament winner West Florida who fired an 856 (-8). North Alabama was second with an 870 ( 6) while West Georgia shot an 887 ( 23) to finish fourth. Arkansass Tech finished fifth with an 890 ( 26) while Henderson State tallied a 31-over 895 to finish sixth. Delta State shot a 910 ( 44) to come home seventh, followed by Montevallo in eighth with a 923 ( 57), Ouachita Baptist (925 / 59) in ninth and Harding (927 / 61) 10th. Christian Brothers was 11th with a 64-over 930 and Southern Arkansas 12th with a 953 ( 87) while Arkansas-Monticello rounded out the field with a 1028 ( 164). Blazer Brent Witcher tied for second in the tournament as he shot a 67 on Tuesday to finish with a three-round total of 213 (-3). Cole Willis tied for 11th with a two-over 218 after shooting a 68 in the final round while Nate Balanis tied for 18th with a 223 ( 7). Jason Flowers was five strokes behind with a 228 ( 12) to tie for 28th while Chad Smith tallied a 232 ( 16) to tie for 39th. West Florida's Tobias Rosendahl claimed individual medalist honors with a 212 (-4) Valdosta State returns to action Monday, May 5th when it begins play in the NCAA South Regional.

Blazers Fifth at GSC Championships

2008-04-21

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Valdosta State shot a two-round total of 597 ( 21) to stand fifth after the first day of action at the Gulf South Conference Championship being held at the par 72, 6,690 yard Hot Springs Country Club Monday. West Florida claimed the first day lead with a two-under 574 while North Alabama was second at 583 ( 7). West Georgia shot a 594 ( 18) to claim third while Arkansas Tech was fourth with a 20-over 596. VSU's Brent Witcher shot a two-over 146 to tie for 10th after the first day while Cole Willis and Jason Flowers were tied for 19th with a 150 ( 6). Nate Balanis tallied a 153 ( 9) to tie for 27th and Chad Smith tied for 42nd with a 156 ( 12). The tournament concludes with a single round of action Tuesday morning.

Brent Witcher Named GSC Golfer of the Year

2008-04-18

VALDOSTA, Ga. - Valdosta State junior Brent Witcher has been named the Gulf South Conference Golfer of the Year according to a vote by the league coaches as announced by the GSC Office Friday. Witcher is currently ranked first nationally among Division II players and ninth among all collegiate golfers by GolfStat and has finished in the Top 10 in eight of Valdosta State's nine tournaments during the 2007-08 season. He has been particularly successful during the spring as he has led Valdosta State in all five of its tournaments, including a victory at the NDNU Classic in March. Witcher also tied for first at the First Federal Southeastern Collegiate, before falling in a playoff, and was second at the Emerald Coast Collegiate, tied for third at the Matlock Collegiate Classic and tied for ninth at the Bobcat Invitational. Witcher currently leads Valdosta State with a 71.3 strokes per round average and has had his score counted in 25 of VSU's 26 rounds on the year. He has shot under par in 12 rounds, including five rounds in the 60's. Witcher was one of six GSC golfers to be named to the All-Gulf South Conference First Team. Fellow Blazer Cole Willis was also recognized by the league as he was named to the All-GSC Second Team. Willis owns a 74.3 strokes per round average this season and has finished in the Top 10 in three tournaments. He finished second at the AFLAC/Cougar Invitational in October and has seen his score count in 23 of VSU's 26 rounds. Witcher, Willis and the rest of the Blazers compete in the Gulf South Conference championships beginning Monday, April 21 at the Hot Springs Country Club in Hot Springs, Ark.

Witcher Named to Nicklaus Award Watch List

2008-04-10

VALDOSTA, Ga. - Valdosta State junior Brent Witcher has been named to watch list for the NCAA Division II Jack Nicklaus Award, presented to the nation%u2019s top golfer, according to an announcement by the Golf Coaches Association of America Thursday. Witcher is one of 18 Division II players to make the list. The Lawrenceville, Ga. native is currently ranked third nationally among Division II players by GolfStat and has finished in the top 10 in eight of Valdosta State%u2019s nine tournament during the 2007-08 season. He has been particularly successful during the spring as he has led Valdosta State in all five of its tournaments, including a victory at the NDNU Classic in March. He also tied for first at the First Federal Southeastern Collegiate, before falling in a playoff, and was second at the Emerald Coast Collegiate, tied for third at the Matlock Collegiate Classic and tied for ninth at the Bobcat Invitational. During the fall schedule, Witcher tied for 10th in the season-opening Coker College Invitational before registering his only non-Top 10 finish with a tie for 27th at the AFLAC/Cougar Invitational. He rebounded to win the NSU Shark Invitational and tied for fourth at the Rollins Invitational. Witcher currently leads Valdosta State with a 71.3 strokes per round average and has had his score counted in 25 of VSU%u2019s 26 rounds on the year. He has shot under par in 12 rounds, including five rounds in the 60's. The Division II Nicklaus Award recipient will be named immediately following the final round of the NCAA Division II Championship. The winner will be invited to Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio for the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Morgan Stanley to receive their trophy from Mr. Nicklaus. Valdosta State, currently ranked sixth nationally, returns to action April 21 when it begins play in the Gulf South Conference Championship in Hot Springs, Ark.

Blazers Finish Third at Emerald Coast Collegiate

2008-04-08

PENSACOLA, Fla. - Valdosta State shot a final round 301 ( 13) to finish third out of 17 teams at the Emerald Coast Collegiate at the par-72, 7041-yard East Course at Tiger Point Tuesday. The Blazers tallied a three round total of 881 ( 17) to finish the tournament 23 strokes behind tournament winner and host West Florida, which shot an 858 (-6). Georgia College was second with an 871 ( 7) while Lynn shot an 887 ( 23) to finish fourth. North Alabama rounded out the top five with a 30-over 894. VSU's Brent Witcher shot a final round 70 (-2) to finish second with a three-round total of 208 (-8). West Florida%u2019s Kyle Scott claimed individual medalist honors with a 206 (-10). Blazer Cole Willis tied for 19th with a 223 ( 7) while Nate Balanis and Jason Flowers each finished with a 227 ( 11) to tie for 30th. Chad Smith was five strokes behind tied for 49th with a 232 ( 16). Valdosta State returns to action Monday, April 21 when it begins play in at the Gulf South Conference Championships in Hot Springs, Ark.

Blazers Fourth at Emerald Coast Collegiate

2008-04-08

PENSACOLA, Fla. - Valdosta State shot a two round total of 580 ( 4) to stand fourth after the first day of play at the Emerald Coast Collegiate, which is being held at the par-72, 7041-yard East Course at Tiger Point. The Blazers followed a first round 295 ( 7) with a second round 285 (-3) to finish the first day 13 strokes behind tournament leader and host West Florida. Georgia College was second with a 575 (-1) while Texas A&M-Commerce stood third, a stroke in front of VSU at 579 ( 3). Abilene Christian rounded out the top five with a 583 ( 7). Blazer Brent Witcher shot rounds of 71 (-1) and 67 (-5) for a first day total of 138 (-6) to stand second after Monday's play. Cole Willis was one-over-par for the two rounds with a 145 and tied for 18th in the tournament while Jason Flowers was five strokes behind and tied for 38th with a 150 ( 6). Nate Balanis tied for 45th with a 151 ( 7), one stroke better than Chad Smith who tied for 50th with a 152 ( 8). UWF's Kyle Scot holds a two-stroke lead over Witcher after compiling a 136 (-8) for the individual lead in the tournament. The tournament concludes with a single round Tuesday.

Blazers 11th at Bobcat Invitational

2008-03-24

EATONTON, Ga. - Valdosta State shot a 312 ( 32) to stand 11th, out of 17 teams after the first round of play at the Bobcat Invitational being played at the par-70, 6,847-yard Cuscowilla Golf Club Monday. The Blazers finished the day 21 strokes behind tournament leader West Florida, which shot a 291 ( 11). USC-Aiken was second after the first round with a 301 ( 21) followed by Carson-Newman in third at 305 ( 25). Three teams tied for fourth at 308 ( 28) followed by two at 309 ( 29) and two tied for 10th at 310 ( 30). Brent Witcher shot a 76 ( 6) to tie for 20th after the first round while Jason Flowers tied for 37th with a 78. Nate Balanis and Chad Smith tied for 41st with a pair of 79%u2019s and Cole Willis tied for 53rd with an 80 ( 10). VSU's Brad Skinner is competing in the event as an individual and shot a 75 Monday to tie for 13th. The tournament's second round was not competed a planned Monday due to darkness. The 17 teams will conclude the second round Tuesday before playing the third and final round immediately afterwards.

Valdosta State Finishes Third at First Federal Southeastern Collegiate

2008-03-18

VALDOSTA, Ga. - Florida Southern's Judson Eustaquio shot a final round 68 to lead the Mocs to a one-stroke victory at the First Federal Southeastern Collegiate Tuesday at the par 72, 7209 yard Kinderlou Forest Golf Club. Eustaquio tallied 16 pars and two eagles on the day to preserve the win for FSC, which entered the day with an 11-stroke lead over Georgia College. His 68 also moved him into a tie for the individual medalist honors at 212 (-4) with Valdosta State's Brent Witcher and Georgia College's Niclas Johansson. All three golfers parred the first play-off hole before Eustaquio tallied his third eagle of the day on the second hole to best Witcher and Johansson, both of whom birdied the hole. Overall, Florida Southern shot a three-round total of 878 ( 14) while Georgia College finished with an 879. Valdosta State was four shots back with an 882 ( 18) followed by West Florida with an 886 ( 20) and Nova Southeastern with a 900 ( 34). Lander finished sixth with a 38-over 904, one stroke better than North Alabama, which finished seventh. Florida Tech was eighth with a 906 ( 40), Lynn (908/ 42) ninth and Barry (912/ 46) tenth. Eckerd shot a 931 ( 65) to claim 11th while St. Leo was 12th with a 936 ( 70) and West Georgia and Coker tied for 13th at 937 ( 71). Delta State claimed 15th with a 940 ( 74), Rollins 16th (949/ 83) and Tampa 17th (952/ 86). UNA's Daniel Creel shot a three round total of 217 ( 1) to finish fourth and West Florida's Tobias Rosendahl was a stroke behind at 218 to round out the individual top five. Valdosta State's Cole Willis shot a 221 ( 5) to tie for seventh in the tournament while Nate Balanis and Chad Smith tied for 25th at 227 ( 11). Jason Flowers tied for 44th with a 232 ( 16) while Brad Skinner, playing as an individual, tied for 28th with a 228 ( 12). Bobby Dyer also competed as an individual and shot a 234 ( 18) to tie for 54th. Valdosta State returns to action Monday, March 24 when it begins play in the Bobcat Invitational in Milledgeville, Ga.

Blazers Third At First Federal Southeastern Collegiate

2008-03-17

VALDOSTA, Ga. - Florida Southern shot a one-under 287 to take an 11 stroke lead at the First Federal Southeastern Collegiate at the par 72, 7209 yard Kinderlou Forest Golf Club Monday. The Mocs entered the second round of play three strokes behind Valdosta State and tied for second with two other teams, but were the only team to shut 294 on the day to tally a two-round total of 580 ( 4). Georgia College is 11 strokes back with a 591 ( 15) while Valdosta State and West Florida are tied for third at 592 ( 16). Florida Tech rounded out the top five with a two-round total of 598 ( 22). North Alabama and Nova Southeastern tied for sixth with a 601 ( 25) followed by Lander (605/ 29), Barry (607/ 31) and Lynn (609/ 33) to round out the top 10. West Georgia and Lynn tied for 11th after two rounds with a 621 ( 45) while Eckerd was 13th with a 624 ( 48) and Coker 14th with a 627 ( 31). Delta State tallied a two-round total of 630 ( 34) for 15th while Tampa (636/ 40) was 16th and Rollins (639/ 43) 17th. Georgia College's Niclas Johansson shot a one-under 71 on Monday to take a one-stroke lead on the an individual basis, edging VSU's Brent Witcher by a stroke. North Alabama's Daniel Creel was two strokes behind Witcher with a 143 (-1) followed by Florida Southern's Judson Eustaquio in fourth with an even par 144 and three players tied for fifth with a 146 ( 2). Valdosta State's Cole Willis was tied for 10th after the second round with a 148 ( 4) while Jason Flowers and Nathaniel Balanis tied for 34th at 153 ( 9). Chad Smith rounded out the team play with a two-round total of 155 to tie for 44th. VSU's Brad Skinner (152/ 8) and Bobby Dyer (159/ 15) participated are participating as individuals in the tournament and stand tied for 27th and tied for 66th, respectively. The tournament concludes with a single round of play Tuesday morning beginning at 8:30 p.m. ROUND THREE TEE TIMES

Blazers Lead at First Federal Southeastern Collegiate

2008-03-16

VALDOSTA, Ga. - Valdosta State shot a two-over 290 to claim a three-stroke lead after the first round of the First Federal Southeastern Collegiate Sunday at the par-72, 7209-yard Kinderlou Forest Golf Club. The Blazers held a three stroke edge on Florida Southern, West Florida and Florida Tech, which all shot a 293 on the day. Georgia College stood fifth after the first day with an eight-over 296 while North Alabama was sixth at 298 ( 10). Barry (300/ 12) was seventh and Lander (303/ 15) eighth while Lynn and Nova Southeastern tied for ninth at 307 ( 19). West Georgia shot a 22-over 310 to finish 11th after the first day followed by Coker in 12th with a 311 ( 23). Saint Leo was a shot behind in 13th with a 312 while Tampa and Eckerd tied for 14th with a 26-over 314. Delta State shot a 322 ( 34) to finish the first day in 16th and Rollins fired a 327 ( 39) to round out the field. VSU's Brent Witcher shot a 67 (-5) in the first round to claim a two-stroke lead over Georgia College's Nicolas Johansson. Florida Southern's Matt Stauch was third with a 70 (-2) while West Florida's Otto Bonning, Florida Tech's David D'Agostino and North Alabama's Daniel Creel tied for fourth with a one-under 71. Valdosta State's Cole Willis tied for seventh at an even-par 72 while Nate Balanis tied for 14th with a 74 ( 2). Chad Smith shot a 77 ( 5) to tie for 37th followed by Jason Flowers with a 79 ( 7) to tie for 56th. The Blazers' Brad Skinner (78) and Bobby Dyer (80) played as individuals and tied for 47th and 63rd, respectively. The tournament continues with the second round Monday morning beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Blazer Golf Fourth After First Day of NDNU Invitational

2008-03-11

LIVERMORE, Calif. - The Valdosta State golf team shot a two-round total of 589 ( 13) to stand fourth out of 14 teams after the first day of competition at the NDNU Invitational Monday at the par-72, 6,956-yard Poppy Ridge Golf Course. Brent Witcher paced the Blazers, shot an eight-under-par 136 to claim a two-stroke lead for individual medalist honors in the tournament. The junior was even par in the first round of the day before tallying a 64 (-8) in the second day to take control of the tournament. Nate Balanis was tied for 20th after the first two rounds with a six-over 150 while Cole Willis was a shot behind and tied for 27th. Chad Smith shot a nine-over 153 to tie for 37th in the event and Jason Flowers tied for 41st with a 154 ( 10). CSU-East Bay claiemd the tournament lead at the conclusion of the first two rounds with a three-over 579 while CSU-Stanislaus was second witha 583 ( 7). Sonoma State edged VSU by a stroke for third, with a 12-over 588 while Grand Canyon rounded out the top five with a 598 ( 22). The tournament concludes Tuesday with a single round.

Blazers Win NDNU Invitational

2008-03-11

LIVERMORE, Calif. - Valdosta State shot a final round 286 (-2) to overcome a 10-stroke deficit in winning the NDNU Invitational Tuesday at the par-72, 6,956 yard Poppy Ridge Golf Course. The Blazers tallied a three-round total of 875 ( 11) to defeat CSU-Stanislaus by two strokes. CSU-East Bay, who led the tournament after the first two rounds, was third with an 878 ( 14) followed by Sonoma State (885/ 21) and Hawaii-Hilo (890/ 26). The victory marked the fourth time in six tournaments that Valdosta State has finished in the top five during the 2007-08 season. VSU's Brent Witcher claimed his second tournament title of the year as he shot a 68 (-4) on Tuesday to register a three-round total of 204 (-12). His victory marked the third time this season that a Blazer has claimed individual medalist honors at a tournament. Nate Balanis finished with a six-over 222 to tie for 12th in the tournament while Jason Flowers was three strokes back tied for 19th. Cole Willis tallied a 226 ( 10) to tie for 23rd and Chad Smith tied for 48th with a 233 ( 17). Valdosta State returns home to host the First Federal Southeastern Intercollegiate at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club beginning Sunday, March 16. The three-round tournament will conclude with single rounds on Monday and Tuesday.

Blazers Finish Seventh at Matlock Collegiate

2008-02-12

LAKELAND, Fla. - Valdosta State shot a final round 291 ( 3) to finish seventh out of 15 at the Matlock Collegiate Classic at the par-72, 7065-yard Lone Palm Golf Club Tuesday afternoon. The Blazers finished the tournament with a three-round total of 894 ( 30), which was 24 strokes behind tournament winner and host Florida Southern, which was six-over par at 870. West Florida was second with an 874 ( 10) while Georgia College was third at 880 ( 16). Lynn was a stroke behind in fourth with a 17-over 881 followed by Nova Southeastern (882 / 18) and Clayton State (893 / 29). VSU's Brent Witcher tied for third with a three round total of 215 (-1) while Chad Smith fired a final round 69 to tally a 225 ( 9) and a tie for 22nd. Cole Willis was a stroke behind in a tie for 26th with a 10-over 226 while Jason Flowers tied for 36th with a 228 ( 12) and Brad Skinner tied for 62nd with a 235 ( 19). West Florida's Matthew Galloway shot a six-under 210 to claim individual medalist honors. Valdosta State returns to action March 11 when it begins play in the Notre Dame de Namur Invitational at the Poppy Ridge Gulf Club in Livermore, Calif.

Blazers Finish Tied for Second at Rollins Invitational

2007-10-30

OCOEE, Fla. - Valdosta State shot a 293 (5-over) in the final round of the Rollins Invitational at the par-72, 7,038-yard Forest Lakes Golf Club Tuesday to finish tied for second in the tournament. VSU's Jason Flowers shot an even-par 72 to claim the individual title with an eight-under 208. He defeated Florida Southern's Matt Stauch by two strokes while West Georgia's Brandon Bennett was third at 212 (-2). The Blazers' Brent Witcher tied for fourth with a one-under 215 while Brad Skinner tied for 45th with a 225 (9-over). Bobby Dyer was four strokes back with a 229 (13-over) and tied for 53rd while Cole Willis finish tied for 62nd with a 232 (16-over). The Blazers moved up two spots in Tuesday's final round to finish tied with Nova Southeastern with an 873 (9-over). Brevard Community College claimed the team championship with an 870 (6-over) while Florida Southern was fourth at 875 (11-over). The tournament concludes the BlazersÃ�?Ã�Â¢?? fall schedule as the team breaks until February.

Blazers Tied for Fourth at Rollins Invitational

2007-10-29

OCOEE, Fla. - Valdosta State shot a two-round total of 580 (four-over par) to tie for fourth after the first day of competition at the Rollins Invitational being held at the par 72, 7,038 yard Forest Lake Golf Club Monday. The Blazers opened with a five-over 293 in the first round of the day before rallying for a one-under 287 in the second round. Brevard Community College and Florida Southern both shot a one-under 575 to tie for first while Nova Southeastern was three-over at 579. Lynn also shot a 580 to match VSU. Blazer senior Jason Flowers finished the day at eight-under par with a 136 to claim first place on an individual basis. Flowers shot a one-under 71 in the first round before tallying a 65 (-7) during the second round to grab control of the tournament. Florida Southern's Matt Stauch was three strokes behind with a five-under 139 to finish second on the day. VSU's Brent Witcher also finished the first day of play in the Top 10, tying for seventh with a two-under 142. Brad Skinner tied for 39th with a six-over 150 while Bobby Dyer was tied for 55th at 152 (8-over). Cole Willis rounded out the Blazer team with a 159 (15-over) to tie for 75th. The tournament concludes with a single round of action Tuesday morning.

Brent Witcher Wins NSU Sharks Invitational

2007-10-16

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. - Valdosta State shot a final round 299 ( 11) Tuesday to finish tied for second at the NSU Sharks Invitational held at the par-72, 6,806-yard Haig Course at the PGA National Resort and Spa. The Blazers fought through windy conditions on the course to tally the lowest round of the day but fell one shot shy of the team title, which was claimed by Barry, who finished with an 886 ( 22). VSU tied with host Nova Southeastern as both teams tallied a three-round total of 887 ( 23) while West Florida was fourth at 891 ( 27). The tournament included six of the Top 25 Division II teams in the country as well as Division I's Florida Atlantic. Valdosta State's Brent Witcher birdied three of his final four holes to claim medalist honors in the event, tallying a three-under 213 for the tournament to defeat NSU's Greg O'Mahony by two strokes. Jason Flowers tallied the lowest round of the tournament with a four-under 68, which allowed him to jump to a tie for third in the final standings with an even par 216 for the tournament. Cole Willis finished third for the Blazers and 22nd overall with a 12-over 228 followed by Brad Skinner in 37th with a 232 ( 16). Bobby Dyer rounded out the VSU team with a 242 ( 26) to tie for 64th overall. Valdosta State returns to action Monday, October 29 when it competes in the Rollins Invitational in Ocoee, Fla.

Golf Tied for Fourth at NSU Invitational

2007-10-15

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. - Valdosta State shot a two-round total of 588 to tie for fourth after the first day of action at the NSU Sharks Invitational, being hosted by Nova Southeastern at the par-72, 6,806-yard Haig Course at PGA National Resort and Spa Monday. The Blazers shot a first round 293 ( 5) before tallying a 295 ( 7) in the second round to tie with West Florida. Barry leads the tournament after the first two round with a six-over 581 followed by the host Sharks, who are two shots behind at 584. Lynn edged VSU and UWF by a stroke, shooting a 587 to claim third. Valdosta State's Brent Witcher is tied for the individual lead after the first day, shooting a three-under-par 141 to match NSU's Greg O'Mahony. Witcher shot an even-par 72 during the first round before firing a 69 (-3), the lowest round by any player on the day, in the second round. Jason Flowers and Brad Skinner are tied for 13th at 148 ( 4) while Cole Willis is tied for 27th at 151 ( 7). Bobby Dyer rounded out the Blazer grouping with a 160 ( 16) to tie for 68th. The tournament concludes Tuesday morning as the 15 teams competing tee off at 8:30 a.m.

Blazers Finish Fourth at AFLAC/Cougar Invitational

2007-10-02

COLUMBUS, Ga. - Valdosta State shot a final round 300 ( 12) to finish fourth at the AFLAC/Cougar Invitational held at the par-72, 6,861-yard Bull Creek West Course at the Bull Creek Golf Club Tuesday. The Blazers entered the third and final round with a two-stroke lead over Nova Southeastern after tallying an even par 576 through the first two rounds of play. VSU's 300 in the final round pushed the Blazers' total to 876 ( 12) for the tournament, seven strokes behind NSU, which won the tournament with a five-over 869. West Florida tallied a three-round total of 872 to finish second at eight-over while USC-Aiken shot the only under-par round of the day, totaling a seven-under 281, to claim third-place with a nine-over 873. Cole Willis led the Blazers, firing a six-under 210 to finish second overall. Jason Flowers tied for 19th with a six-over 222 while Bobby Dyer, Brent Witcher and Brad Skinner all tied for 27th at 224 ( 8). Valdosta State returns to action Monday, October 15 when it competes in the NSU Fall Classic in Palm Beach, Fla.

Blazers Third at AFLAC/Cougar Invitational

2007-10-01

COLUMBUS, Ga. - Valdosta State shot a three-over 291 to stand third after the first round of play Monday at the AFLAC/Cougar Invitational being held at the par-72, 6,861-yard Bull Creek West Golf Course Monday and Tuesday. The Blazers stood four shots behind tournament leader Nova Southeastern, which was the only school to finish the first round under par with a 287 (-1). West Florida was second with a one-over 289 followed by VSU. Cole Willis tied for second during the first round of play with a two-under 70. Jason Flowers tied for 11th with an even-par 72 while Bobby Dyer was two shots behind with a 74 ( 2). Brad Skinner shot a 75 ( 3) and Brent Witcher rounded out the Blazer contingent with a 77 ( 5). Valdosta State shot a 285 (-3) in the day's second round, which was not completed due to darkness on the course. The tournament will continue on Tuesday morning with the conclusion of the second round, followed by the third and final round of the tournament. Fans wishing to follow the Blazers' during the final round can log on to www.golfstat.com and follow the link to the AFLAC/Cougar Invitational.

Blazers Finish 10th at Coker College Invitational

2007-09-25

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Valdosta State golf team shot a two-over 290 at the par-72, 6,849 yard Panther Lake Course at the Orange County National Golf Club to finish 10th out of 21 teams at the Coker College Invitational Tuesday. The Blazers finished the tournament at five-over-par with a 581 to finish 19 strokes behind tournament winner St. Edward's, which shot a 562. Florida Southern was second with a 567 (-9) while defending national champion Barry was third at 573 (-3). Nova Southeastern also shot under par, with a two-under 574, to finish fourth while Rollins and Columbus State tied for fifth with even pars 576. Armstrong Atlantic and Lander tied for seventh with a pair of 577's ( 1) and Georgia College and State was ninth with a 579 ( 3). Cole Willis led Valdosta State, shooting a seven-under 137 to finish fourth, while Brent Witcher also finished in the top ten with a two-under 142 to tie for 10th. Joel Durrance completed the tournament tied for 77th at 152 ( 8) while Jason Flowers and Bobby Dyer were a stroke behind, tied for 81st at 153 ( 9). Armstrong Atlantic's Chris Wolfe and St. Edward's Matt Smith tied for the individual title as each finished the tournament 10-under par at 134. Valdosta State returns to action Monday, October 1 when it competes in the AFLAC/Cougar Invitational hosted by Columbus State.

Blazers Tied for Ninth at Coker Invitational

2007-09-24

ORLANDO, Fla. - Valdosta State shot a first round total of 291 to tie for ninth, out of 21 teams, after the first round of play at the Coker College Invitational at the par-72, 6,849-yard Panther Lake at Orange County National Golf Club Monday. The Blazers, who were three over on the day, finished the day 11 strokes behind tournament leader St. Edwards, which shot an eight under 280. Florida Southern was second at 281 while Barry and Columbus State tied for third at 283. Georgia College was four shots back in fifth and Lander and Nova Southeastern shot an even par 288 to tie for sixth. Carson-Newman finished eighth with a 289 while Pfeiffer matched VSU with a 291. Cole Willis was tied for second after the first round with a four-under 68 while Brent Witcher tied for 26th with an even-par 72. Bobby Dyer tied for 64th with a 75 ( 3) while Jason Flowers was 73rd with a four-over 76. Joel Durrance rounded out the VSU contingent with a six-over 78 to tie for 88th. The tournament concludes Tuesday morning with a single round of action.

Kevin Dutkowsky Named GCAA All-America Scholar

2007-07-10

VALDOSTA, Ga. - Kevin Dutkowsky, who competed in eight tournaments for Valdosta State this past season, was honored by the Golf Coaches Association of America Tuesday as he was named to the Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar list. Dutkowsky owned a 75.8 shots per round average for the Blazers this past season as he tallied 1,743 total shots in 23 rounds. He tallied one Top 20 finish, a 13th-place showing at the NCAA South Regional, during which he shot a season-low round of 70 in the third and final round. He also carried a 3.43 grade point average as a Broadcast Journalism major. Juniors and seniors with a 3.20 minimum cumulative grade point average are eligible to be a Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar. In addition, the student-athlete must average under 78.0 strokes per round to qualify for the honor.

Jason Flowers Named Ping All-America

2007-06-04

VALDOSTA, Ga.-Valdosta State's Jason Flowers topped off a successful 2006-07 season by earning Ping All-America second team honors from the Golf Coaches Association of America Friday. Flowers was one of nine players nationally to earn second-team honors, joining Jake Amos (Lander), Baxter Culler (USC-Upstate), Matt Ewald (Washburn), Andrew Hedrick (CSU-Pueble), Ryan Johnson (Wayne State), Greg Koch (Florida Southern) and Wes Smith (North Alabama). Flowers led the Blazers with a 73.1 strokes per round average this season, tallying 2,193 total strokes in 30 rounds. His score counted in a team-high 29 of the 30 rounds played as he tallied three top five finishes and a total of six top 20 showings in 11 tournaments. Flowers claimed medalist honors at two tournaments this season, winning the AASU/Southbridge Pirate Invitational with a two-round total of 140 (-4) while tying for the individual championship at the Gulf South Conference Tournament with a season-low total of 210 (-6) for 54 holes. He also tied for first during regulation at Barry's Buccaneer Invitational, but fell in a three-hole playoff to finish second. A junior from Moultrie, Ga., Flowers was the top Valdosta State finisher in the school's final six tournaments of the season.

Blazers Finish 11th at NCAA Super Regional

2007-05-09

MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. -Valdosta State shot a one-over 289 during the final day of play Wednesday at the par-72, 7,126-yard Robert Trent Jones at the Shoals Golf Club to finish the 2007 NCAA South/South Central Super Regional in 11th place with a three-round total of 890 ( 26). The Blazers were the seventh-best South Region team in the field and were led by Jason Flowers, who finished tied for 11th in the South and 17th overall with a four-over 220 after shooting a 74 ( 2) in the final round. Kevin Dutkowsky, who shot a two-under 70 Wednesday, was a stroke back, tied for 13th in the South and 21st overall, with a five-over 221 while Nate Balanis tied for 14th in the South and 24th overall with a 222 ( 6) after also firing a two-under 70 in the final round. Josh Tompkins ( 3/75) finished 34th in the South and tied for 52nd with an 11-over 227 while Bobby Dyer ( 5/77) rounded out the VSU team with a 16-over 232, good enough for tied for 41st in the South and 72nd overall. Tournament host and South Region participant North Alabama won the Super Regional after finishing five-under par with an 859 while South Central's Cameron was second with an 872 ( 8). The South's Florida Southern and Barry tied for third at 877 ( 13) while fellow South Region team Florida Gulf Coast was fifth at 880 ( 16) and South Central's Abilene Christian sixth at 881 ( 17). All six of the top finishing teams advance to the NCAA Championships, which will be held at The Meadows in Allendale, Mich. May 22-25. South Central's St. Edward's and Central Oklahoma tied for seventh at 19-over 883 followed by the South's West Florida and Nova Southeastern tied for ninth at 885 ( 21). Lynn, the final South Region team in the field, followed VSU in 12th at 894 ( 30) while Northeastern State was 13th with an 897 ( 33). Midwestern State tallied a 14th place finish with an 898 ( 34) while St. Mary's was a stroke behind at 899 ( 35). Texas A

Blazers Fall 12th at NCAA Super Region

2007-05-08

MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. - Valdosta State fell to 12th at the NCAA South/South Central Super Regional Tuesday after shooting a 14-over 302 at the par-72, 7,126-yard Robert Trent Jones at the Shoals Golf Course. The Blazers finished the second day of play in seventh among South Regions teams competing in the Super Regional with a two-round total of 601 ( 25). South Region participant and tournament host North Alabama led the Super Regional with a four-over 580 after shooting its second straight round of 290, while Barry shot a one-over 289 on Tuesday to move into second at 585 ( 9). Florida Gulf Coast (South) shot the first round under par of the region as it tallied a one-under 287 for a two-round total of 588 ( 12). Cameron, out of the South Central Region, was even par on Tuesday to move into fourth at 589 ( 13) followed by Florida Southern, which shot an 11-over 299 Tuesday, at 14-over 590. St. Edwards (South Central) was six-over (294) on Tuesday to stand sixth overall with a 595 and Nova Southeastern (South) was two strokes behind with a 597 ( 21) after shooting a seven-over 295. West Florida (South, 13-over 301) and Central Oklahoma (South Central, 14-over 302) tied for eighth at 598 ( 22) followed by South Central teams Midwestern State ( 14/302) and Abilene Christian ( 12/300) tied for 10th at 600 ( 24). Another pair of South Central teams, Northeastern State ( 21/309) and St. Mary's ( 10/298) were tied for 13th at 602 ( 26) followed by Lynn (South), which shot a 14-over 302 to stand at a 35-over 612. Texas A

Three Blazers Named All-GSC In Golf

2007-04-23

VALDOSTA, Ga. - Three Valdosta State Blazers were named to the All-Gulf South Conference team according to an announcement made by the league offices Friday afternoon. VSU's Jason Flowers was one of seven league golfers to be named to the first team. Flowers, a junior from Moultrie, Ga., has registered four Top 20 finishes this season, including a pair of Top five showings. He won the Southbridge/AASU Pirate Invitational in February and was the runner-up, after completing regulation tied for first, at the Buccaneer Invitational in April. Flowers is averaging a team-low 73.5 shots per round this season and his score has counted in 22.5 of VSU's 24 rounds. Senior Josh Tompkins and sophomore Bobby Dyer both were named to the All-GSC second team. Tompkins opened the year with a first place finish at the Coker Invitational in September and is second on the team in stroke average with a 74.5 average. He has recorded two Top 20 finishes on the season and his score has counted in 23 of the 24 rounds the Blazers have played on the year. Dyer is third on the VSU squad with a 74.9 strokes per round average and has registered three Top 10 finishes. The sophomore was Valdosta State's top finisher at the Mauna Lani/UH-Hilo Intercollegiate in October and has had his score count in 20 of 24 rounds played. Flowers, Tompkins, Dyer and the rest of the Blazers return to action April 23 and 24 when they compete in the GSC Championships at the Hot Springs Country Club in Hot Springs, Ark.

BLAZERS TIED FOR FOURTH AT BUCCANEER INVITATIONAL

2007-04-02

MIAMI, Fla. - Valdosta State tallied a two-round total of 586 ( 10) to stand tied for fourth after the first day of action at the Buccaneer Invitational being held at the par-72, 6,786 yard Westview Country Club Monday. The Blazers tallied an eight-over 296 in the first round before firing a 290 ( 2) in the second round of the day. Florida Gulf Coast shot a pair of 289's ( 1) to claim first place after the first round, tallying a two-over 578. USC Upstate was a shot back in second with a 579 ( 3) after shooting following an opening round 293 ( 5) with a two-under 286 while host Barry was in third with a 580 ( 4). Columbus State also shot a 586 through the first two rounds to tie VSU while Eckerd stood sixth with a 590 ( 14). Nova Southeastern was a stroke behind in seventh with a 591, followed by Armstrong Atlantic with a 592 ( 16). Florida Tech was ninth with a 593 ( 17) while Georgia College finished the day 10th with a 595 ( 19). Northwood shot a 605 ( 29) to stand 11th while St. Thomas (606 / 30), St. Leo (614 / 38), Tampa (619 / 43) and Cal State-Monterey Bay (627 / 51) rounded out the field. VSU's Jason Flowers shot a two-over 74 in the first round before rebounding for a four-under 68 in the second to tie for third overall with a 142 (-2). Nate Balanis was tied for 12th with a one-over 145 (73-72) and Bobby Dyer tied for 28th with a five-over 149 (72-77). Kevin Dutkowsky shot a seven-over 151 (77-74) to tie for 40th and Josh Tompkins tied for 53rd with a 153 ( 9 / 77-76). Florida Gulf Coast's Robert Taylor (70-70) and USC Upstate's Josh Gallman (68-72) tied for the individual lead with a 140 (-4). The tournament concludes Tuesday with a single round beginning at 8:30 a.m.

BLAZERS 14th AFTER FIRST DAY OF BOBCAT INVITATIONAL

2007-03-26

EATONTON, Ga. - Valdosta State shot a two round total of 611 ( 51) to stand 14th after the first day of action at the Bobcat Invitational Monday. North Alabama claimed the first day lead with a four-over 564, followed by Florida Southern, who stood 19 strokes back with a 583 ( 23). Columbus State (584/ 24), USC-Aiken (588/ 28) and USC-Upstate (588/ 28) rounded out the top five. The Blazers shot a 28-over 308 in the first round Monday while finishing with a 303 ( 23) in the second round. Jason Flowers stood tied for seventh individually after the first day after firing a pair of 72's to finish at 144 ( 4). Kevin Dutkowsky shot a two round total of 153 ( 13, 76-77) to tie for 49th while Josh Tompkins tied for 53rd with a 154 ( 14, 77-77). Bobby Dyer finished with a 160 ( 20, 83-77) to tie for 69th while Chris Mierzwa finished with a 165 ( 25, 85-80) to tie for 79th. North Alabama's Daniel Creel claimed the top individual spot, shooting seven-under par with a 133 (66-67) while Lander's Billy Belair was second with an even-par 140 (69-71). UNA's Wes Smith (69-73), USC-Aiken's Roberto Diaz (70-72) and USC-Upstate's Baxter Culler (71-71) all tied for third with a two-over 142. The tournament concludes with a single round Tuesday.