Pioneers rally to win Tusculum Men's Golf Invitational

Pioneers rally to win Tusculum Men's Golf Invitational

Team Results | Individual Results | Combo Results

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University men's golf team rallied from a three-shot deficit to win the 26th annual TU Invitational Sunday afternoon at Link Hills Country Club.

Trailing heading into the final round, Tusculum posted a second round 291 to post 583 for the tournament and win by eight shots over runner-up Walters State (591).

The Pioneers claim its second team title of the year, winning the Bob Dibble Classic in the fall by one shot over Walters State in September.  It is also the Pioneers' fourth TU Invitational title in five years and the 10th overall.

Walters State's Alex Hodge led wire-to-wire to claim medalist honors, posting a two-day score of 66-72=138 (-4) and win by five shots over runner-up Jeffery Perez of Tusculum who carded 71-72-143. 

Walters State's Hunter Blanken finished third with 70-75=145 while TU's Noah Jones finished fourth with 74-72=146.  Bryce Johnson of Shorter (73-74=147) claimed the final spot on the All-Tournament Team in a playoff with Brevard's Austin Fisher (68-79=147).

Shorter finished third in the team competition with 615, followed by Felician (621), Tusculum B (627), Franklin, Ind. (628), Davenport (635), Virginia-Wise (638), Bluefield State (647) and Concord (650).

Tusculum's Matt DiBella finished tied for seventh place with 73-75=148, while Kyle Engelbert (77-72=149) and Liam Sweeney (74-75=149) tied for ninth place honors.

For Tusculum B, Hunter Chandley led the charge as he placed 14th with 79-72=151 and Sheikh Razak placed 34th with 79-80=159.  Bennett Noe (87-75=162) and Jordan Williams (79-83=162) tied for 44th place while John Bennett rounded out the scoring for the Pioneers with 80-86=166 to finish 52nd.

Tusculum returns to action Apr. 1-2 as they travel to Loudon for the Tennessee River Rumble.