SALISBURY, N.C. --- The Tusculum College men's golf team posted a two-day score of 610 to finish sixth at the 2016 Richard Rendleman Invitational, which was held at the Country Club of Salisbury.

The Pioneers posted a final round 304 and were led by senior Brad Hawkins who shot finished with 146, including Tuesday's even par 71 to tie for sixth place. Hawkins' 71 was one of only six scores which were at par or lower on the final day of the two-day, 36-hole event.

North Greenville captured the team title as the Crusaders posted a team score of 582 with back-to-back rounds of 291. NGU finished five strokes in front of runner-up Belmont Abbey (587(, who carded the best score of the day at 288. Lincoln Memorial finished third with 593, followed by Lenoir-Rhyne (596), Pfeiffer (600), Tusculum, Anderson (612), King (613), host Catawba (625), Brevard (630), Davis & Elkins (631) and Livingstone (634).

Belmont Abbey's Nick Stafford captured medalist honors with 72-67=139, winning by three shots over North Greenville's Seth Robertson (70-72=142).

Tusculum senior Nick Forsberg tied for 19th place with 74-77=151, while Taylor Smith followed with 76-77=153. Rookie Heath Ratliff posted back-to-back scores of 81 to finish with 162 (T57), while Chris Hutson rounded out the team scoring with 87-79=166 (T60). TC's Preston Tucker carded consecutive rounds of 80 to shoot 160 and finish 51st, playing as an individual competitor.

The Pioneers return to action this weekend (Mar. 5-6) as they host the 23rd annual Tusculum Invitational at Link Hills Country Club in Greeneville. The Pioneers are the defending champions of their home spring event. TC rallied from a 12-shot deficit on the final day to claim its seventh Tusculum Invitational crown and the third in the last five years.

- TC -

Team Results
Pl Team 1st 2nd TOT
1 North Greenville 291 291 582
2 Belmont Abbey 299 288 587
3 Lincoln Memorial 299 294 593
4 Lenoir-Rhyne 297 299 596
5 Pfeiffer 298 302 600
6 TUSCULUM 306 304 610
7 Anderson 302 310 612
8 King 307 306 613
9 Catawba 320 305 625
10 Brevard 314 316 630
11 Davis & Elkins 311 320 631
12 Livingstone 316 318 634

Tusculum Individual Scores
Pl Player 1st 2nd TOT
T6 Brad Hawkins 75 71 146
T19 Nick Forsberg 74 77 151
T23 Taylor Smith 76 77 153
T51 Preston Tucker* 80 80 160
T57 Heath Ratliff 81 81 162
T60 Chris Hutson 87 79 166
* Individual competitor