GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum men's golf team led wire-to-wire in capturing its third straight Tusculum Invitational Sunday at Link Hills Country Club. The Pioneers posted a two-day score of 569 (+1), including a final round 284 as TC won its spring tournament for a record ninth time in the 24-year history of the event.
Tusculum held off a final round charge by Brevard, who finished runner-up with a 36-hole total of 573, including a Sunday-best 282.
The Pioneers have won this tournament in 1995, 1997, 1998, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016 and 2017. This is Tusculum's third team title this season, winning the Etowah Intercollegiate and the Tusculum Fall Classic.
This year's event was the final home men's tournament for Hall of Fame head coach Bob Dibble, who will be retiring in May after 28 years at the helm of the program. This marks his 44th men's title in his career and 65th overall (21 with the Tusculum women's team).
Brevard's Luis Vega and Adam Lumley each finished with a four-under par total of 71-67=138 with Vega capturing medalist honors on a scorecard playoff.
Joining Vega and Lumley on the All-Tournament team is Tusculum's David Whinery, as he finished third and one stroke out of the lead with his 70-69=139 (-3). Rounding out the All-Tournament Team are Lewis Scott (70-70=140) of Northwestern Ohio and Tennessee Wesleyan's Evan Ball (74-68=142). Ball, last's year's Tusculum Invitational medalist, claimed the final spot on the All-Tournament team on a scorecard playoff.
Northwestern Ohio finished third with 581, while Tennessee Wesleyan placed fourth (585) and Spartanburg Methodist was fifth (586) to round out the top-five. Catawba was sixth with 588, followed by Walters State (589), Mars Hill (599), Brevard B (603), Lincoln Memorial B (610), Union, Ky. (612), Northwestern Ohio B (613), Emory & Henry (614), Bluefield State (627), Cape Fear (632), Northwestern Ohio C (632), Virginia-Wise (644) and Tusculum B (656).
The Tusculum duo of Anthony Bolden and Taylor Smith each carded two-day scores of 143 (+1) to tie for ninth place. Bolden fired a two-under par 69 on Sunday while Smith posted a 72 in his final Tusculum Invitational event. TC senior Chris Hutson tied for 15th place with 71-75=146, while senior teammate Preston Tucker tied for 20th with 73-74=147.
TC senior Cameron Dugger led the Tusculum B squad with 76-72=148 to tie for 25th place. Hunter Chandley finished 79th with 85-78=163, Austin Murdock was 85th with 82-84=166, while Dylan Scalf carded 92-87=179 to finish 90th.
The Pioneers return to action Apr. 3-4 as they compete at the Tennessee River Rumble in Lenoir City, Tennessee.
