Men's Golf Finishes Seventh at Jones Sports Invitational

Men's Golf Mike Holmes/Sports Communications

Men's Golf Finishes Seventh at Jones Sports Invitational

SOMIS, Calif. – The Georgia State men's golf team shot a final-round 307 to finish seventh at the Jones Sports Invitational at Saticoy Country Club on Tuesday afternoon. On a day that saw only three teams break 300, the Panthers finished 48-over for the 54-hole event.

For the second straight event, junior Damon Stephenson and sophomore J.J. Grey tied. Following a tie for third last week at the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate, the duo finished tied for 19th at 10-over par.

“The conditions were tough for everyone today,” head coach Joe Inman said. “Like Monday, I thought we did a lot of things well, but it was the little mistakes that cost us. We put ourselves in position for a top-five finish, but were not able to make the putts we needed down the stretch.”

Grey shot a final-round 75 that included a pair of birdies, while Stephenson, who entered the day in sixth place, shot a final round 79. Stephenson still has finished in the top-20 in each of his last four tournaments.

Senior Tyler Gruca shot a final round 4-over 76 to finish alone in 30th at 13-over par. Gruca, who has never missed a tournament in his collegiate career, made a pair of final-round birdies.

Junior Davin White shot a final-round 77 to finish tied for 40th at 18-over par. After opening the event with a tough first-round 83, he had rebounded nicely with a 74 in the second round.

Freshman Nathan Mallonee shot a third-round 81 to finish in 51st place at 22-over.

Senior Grant Cagle, competing as an individual, shot a final-round 76 to finish in a tie for 52nd at 23-over.

No. 50 San Diego State shot a final round 292 to overtake No. 23 Southern California and claim first place. The Aztecs finished at 17-over with the Trojans just one-stroke behind at 18-over. San Diego finished third at 24-over, followed by No. 30 BYU in fourth at 36-over. No. 48 CSU Fullerton rounded out the top-five, finishing at 42-over.

Southern California's Anthony Paolucci, ranked No. 29 in the country, birdied the last hole to finish at even par and earn low medalist honors. San Diego State's Riccardo Michelini finished second at 1-over. San Diego's Grant Forrest, ranked No. 70 in the nation, finished alone in third at 2-over, followed by San Diego State's Xander Schauffele in fourth at 4-over. Southern California's Rico Hoey finished at 5-over and rounded out the top-five.

Georgia State will return to the course March 10-11 at the Cleveland Golf/Palmetto Intercollegiate in Aiken, S.C.

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