Pinehurst, N.C. - The Georgia State men's golf team concluded its season Sunday with a seventh place finish in the CAA Championship on the famed Pinehurst No. 8 course. Freshman Tyler Gruca and senior Alan Fowler each finished among the top 20.
Fowler concluded his career at State finishing in the top 20 in all four of his CAA Championship appearances, earning a championship ring in 2008. The Gainesville, Ga. native finished tied for 18th, shooting a final round 73, making three birdies to end the tournament at 12-over.
His 73 led the Panthers to a final round 306, after rounds of 307 and 305 to open the championship. State finished the tournament at 54-over par.
"Obviously I am disappointed to see the season end this way," commented head coach Joe Inman. "I want to thank Alan Fowler and Brent Paul for everything that they have done for this program. Although disappointed right now, with three freshmen playing this week, I feel as though the future is bright for this program."
Gruca, a walk-on at the beginning of the season, finished tied for 16th in his first conference tournament appearance. The lone Panther to play in all 11 tournament this season, Gruca finished as the top Panther for the fourth time in a tournament this year, shooting 11-over par this week.
Freshman Victor Lavin shot a final round 79 to finish at 16-over and in a tie for 28th in his CAA debut.
Senior Brent Paul, also playing in the final tournament of his collegiate career, finished tied for 32nd after a final round 79. The Columbus, Ga. native finished 18-over par after opening the tournament with a 74 on Friday.
Freshman Ross Mclister struggled to find his stroke on Sunday, shooting 84 to finish the tournament at 25-over in a tie for 41st.
Since joining the CAA in 2006, the Panthers have won a pair of conference titles, 2006 and 2008, and lost in a one-hole playoff to VCU in 2009.
UNC Wilmington led wire-to-wire and earned the conference championship on Sunday, shooting a final round 295 to earn a 10-stroke victory over VCU. The Seahawks finished the 54-hole event at 18-over, followed by the Rams at 28-over. George Mason finished in third at 29-over, followed by James Madison in fourth at 38-over. Old Dominion rounded out the top five at 45-over.
UNC Wilmington's Josh Brock shot a final round 71 to win the championship by three strokes over VCU's Rocky Khara. Brock finished at 2-under for the championship, followed by Khara at 1-over. Towson's Nyasha Mauchaza and George Mason's Silas VanSky finished tied for third at 2-over. Old Dominion's Neil Henderson and VCU's Chase Sargent tied for fifth at 3-over.
Georgia State, which had six freshmen on the team this season, will return to action in September with only one upperclassman scheduled to return. The schedule will feature the Panthers first home tournament in several years, the AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic, October 16-18 at Berkeley Hills Country Club in Duluth, Ga.
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