Sjoholm Comes Up Short in Playoff at SWALEC

Men's Golf Matthew Simmons/Sports Communications

Sjoholm Moves Into 6th at NCAA Championships

Georgia State senior Joel Sjoholm carded three birdies in his last seven holes to move into a tie for sixth at the 2008 NCAA Men's Golf Championships on the challenging Kampen Course at Purdue University's Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex in West Lafayette, Ind. on Friday.

The native of Sweden and 2008 Colonial Athletic Association champion currently rests tied for sixth after a third-round score of 75 (+3) and he has a three-round score of 219 (+3).

Teeing from the 10th hole and battling the grueling Kampen Course to a three over-par score through his first nine holes, Sjoholm regained his form and played the front nine at even par.

”It was an extremely tough day out there with the wind blowing 20 to 30 miles an hour at the start of the day,” said Georgia State head coach Matt Clark. “Unfortunately, Joel didn't get off to a good start with bogeys on the first two [holes], but he played solid golf from there out. I'm real proud of the way he fought for each shot out there today because it wasn't easy but he played smart and kept going.”

Sjoholm, who ranks second nationally in the GolfStat Cup Rankings, carded four birdies in his round but had five bogeys ? four in his first nine holes ? and a double bogey.

Despite his third-round struggles, Sjoholm currently sits in position to record Georgia State's highest ever finish in a national championship event. Distance runner Andrew Letherby finished ninth in the 1997 NCAA Outdoor Track Championship, while golfer Ty Harris recorded State's highest finish in a non-event segmented championship when he claimed 22nd at the 2004 NCAA Men's Golf Championship.

While Sjoholm is currently sixth overall, his position is subject to change as third-round play suspended due to lightning and will be completed on Saturday. Fourth and final-round action will commence following the completeion

Purdue's Kampen Course has proved to be a challenge for the nation's best as only four golfers have under-par scores through three rounds of play on the par-72, 7,450-yard layout. With third-round play still underway, the Kampen Course has already seen more than 100 rounds of 80 or higher.

In most places, the Kampen Course features rough between three to six inches and, in select areas, as high as one foot.

Sjoholm currently trails the event's leader, UCLA's Kevin Chappell, by nine strokes. Chappell, resting at six-under par, is the only player in the field to post a pair of sub-par rounds (69-73-68 ? 210).

“It's exciting to get to play all four rounds of Nationals in my senior year,” said Sjoholm, the 2008 CAA Golfer of the Year. “With the course set up and conditions, this is probably the toughest course I've ever played, but I'm looking forward to going out in style and shooting as low as I can tomorrow.”

The four-day and four-round NCAA Men's Golf Championship features 30 of the nation's best teams and 156 competitors. The field will be cut following three rounds, although individual competitors will play all four rounds regardless of score.

Check GeorgiaStateSports.com for updates following the third round's completion on Saturday and live scoring can be found at GolfStat.com. Live video of the third and fourth round of the NCAA Men's Golf Championship is available at GolfStat.com and NCAASports.com.


Print Friendly Version