PALM HARBOR, Fla. – The Valdosta State men's golf team fired a final round 300 to move up one spot to finish 15^th at the 2025 Copperhead Championship on the par 71, 7,340-yard Innisbrook Resort – Copperhead Course.  VSU finished with a 54-hole team score of 908 (308-300-300).  
 
In the stacked field featuring the top four teams in the country in No. 1 West Florida, No. 2 North Georgia, No. 3 Florida Southern and No. 4 Lee, along with eight of the top ten teams and 13 of the 17 teams in the top 25 of the Bushnell/Golfweek Division II Coaches Poll.  The remaining four teams, including the Blazers, all are among others receiving votes. 
 
Host West Florida won the tournament with an 11-under 841 on rounds of 279-280-282.  Grand Valley State finished second at even par 852, while Lee was third at 854, followed by Wingate at 861 and Nova Southeastern finished fifth at 870.  Barry and Lincoln Memorial tied for sixth (874), while Saint Leo was eighth (877) and Rollins and Florida Southern tied for ninth at 880.  
 
Lynn was 11^th at 888, followed by Columbus State (892), North Georgia (893), Lander (896) and the Blazers were 15^th.  Tampa finished 16^th (912) and Flagler was 17^th at 915.  
 
Individually, Per Ekelund of West Florida carded a final round 66 to move up 11 spots, edging Grand Valley State's Bryce Wheeler, Rollins' Clarence Chapman and West Florida's TJ Thompson by one stroke.  Ekelund carded a 5-under 208.  North Georgia's Hunter Smith fired a final round 68 to move up 17 spots to tie Lee's Bennett McNabb for fifth at 1-under 212.  Four additional players shot even par 213 to finish tied for seventh.
 
Blazer senior Elad Sebbag finished 38^th with rounds of 75, 71, 75 for a 221 score, edging teammate junior Alexander Nilehn by one stroke as Nilehn carded rounds of 76, 73, 73 for a 222 score.  Junior William Carestam finished with a 231 score on rounds of 79, 78 and 74.  Senior Joshua Burki finished tied for 85^th with a 238 score on rounds of 78, 82 and 78.  Junior Landon Bassford finished tied for 88^th with a 242 score on rounds of 81, 78 and 83.  
 
The Blazers return home to prepare for the Golfweek Fripp Island to Bermuda, Oct. 20-21, at Fripp Island Ocean Point Golf Course in Fripp Island, S.C.

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