GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College men and Belmont Abbey College women won their respective events at the 2008 Tusculum Fall Golf Classic, held at Link Hills Country Club. Wingate University won the combined championship by finishing second in both the men and women's events.

(Complete Results)

The Pioneers won their third Tusculum Classic men's title by posting a TC record 563, including a school-record final round 280 to win by five shots over runner-ups Wingate (568) and Catawba (568). The Pioneers were led by senior Chase Carroll as he captured Classic medalist honors for a third consecutive year by shooting a six-under par 136 (69-67).

Three players tied for second place in the men's event at 138, including Kent George (Lenoir-Rhyne), Luke Fullen (Walters State) and Ryan Madigan (Newberry B). George made the biggest charge of the tournament with a Classic record 66 (-5) on Tuesday. Also making it to the All-Tournament team was Eric Kennedy of Lincoln Memorial, who won a scorecard playoff with Tusculum's Jake Scheffers for fifth place at 139.

Walters State College finished fourth with 577, followed by Newberry College "B" in fifth with 580. Lincoln Memorial and Limestone College tied for sixth place with 582, followed by North Greenville University (584), Lenoir-Rhyne (590), Spartanburg Methodist College (596), Tusculum Black (597) and Mars Hill College (599).

In the women's event, Belmont Abbey led wire-to-wire shooting a Classic record 306-311=617, led by All-Tournament selections Michele Low and Rita Kim. Belmont Abbey had to hold off a second-day charge by runner-up Wingate as the Bulldogs finished with 623, including Tuesday's 307, tying a school 18-hole record.

There was a three-way tie for first place at 150 in the women's event between Kelsey Babos (Catawba), Ashley Denton (Wingate) and Low. Babos won medalist honors by virtue of a scorecard playoff. Also advancing to the All-Tournament squad are Rita Kim (Belmont Abbey) and Brenna Martens (Lenoir-Rhyne). Martens tied for fifth place with 155 with Tusculum's Mary Ann Vizcarrondo, but won on a scorecard playoff.

Lenoir-Rhyne placed third in the women's event with 637, while host Tusculum finished fourth with 650. Catawba came in fifth with 652, followed by Lincoln Memorial (668), Mars Hill (684), Spartanburg Methodist (708), Limestone (734) and Brevard College (788).

In the combined championship, Wingate unseats Tusculum after its two-year reign, by posting a combined score of 1191, edging the Pioneers (1213) by 22 shots. Catawba finished third in the combined race with 1220, followed by Lenoir-Rhyne (1227), Lincoln Memorial (1250), Mars Hill (1283), Spartanburg Methodist (1304) and Limestone (1316).

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