WAILUA — East Tennessee rallied from a three-stroke deficit on the final day of play to earn a tie with Georgia Southern in the 10th Annual Kaua‘i Collegiate Cup hosted by Western Kentucky University and Kaua‘i County. A tie-breaker gave
WAILUA — East Tennessee rallied from a three-stroke deficit on the final day of play to earn a tie with Georgia Southern in the 10th Annual Kaua‘i Collegiate Cup hosted by Western Kentucky University and Kaua‘i County.
A tie-breaker gave the win to ETSU.
Georgia Southern jumped out to an early five-shot lead on the first 18 holes Saturday, then finished the day with a three-stroke advantage on the Buccaneers.
But ETSU battled back and locked up the tie on the final hole of the tournament. Both teams finished play with four-under-par 860 totals, 15 strokes ahead of third place Wayland Baptist (879).
Georgia Southern sophomore Logan Blondell was the individual champion in the tournament, taking the individual lead in the first round when he bested ETSU junior Seamus Power by a single stroke (70-71) The pair posted identical 69s in each of the last two rounds. Blondell completed play at eight-under 208 (70-69-69) and Power was a single stroke back at 209 (71-69-69).
Wayland Baptist sophomore Michael Loppnow was third, four shots back at four-under 212 (74-68-70); GSU junior Spencer Fulford, who was competing as an individual, was fourth at three-under 213; and ETSU freshman Michael Stewart was fifth at one-under 215, completing the All-Tournament Team.
Host Western Kentucky University rallied in the final round, trimming 10 strokes off its second round score to gain a spot in the standings and finish eight in the 12-team field at 907.
Leading the way for the Hilltoppers was Franklin, Ky., junior Adam McDonald, whose final round 67 gave him a 223 for the tournament, good enough to pull him up into a tie for 20th.
That 67 equalled the best round of the tournament (Wayland Baptist rookie Bradley Sinnett carded a 67 in second-round play). And, the 67s posted by McDonald and Sinnett equalled the fifth best round in the 10-year history of the event.
