On Monday, March 4, the Wake Forest Men’s Golf team put together one of their strongest performances of the season at the Inaugural Invitational at the Ford, placing second and shooting a combined 841 (-23). Hosted by Georgia Southern University, the tournament was played at The Ford Field and River Club GC in Richmond Hill, GA.
The Demon Deacons came out hot in round one, posting an exceptional score of 271 (-17) and gaining a healthy lead on the rest of the field. The veterans started strong, with senior Michael Brennan shooting a 67 (-5) and junior Scotty Kennon shooting a 68 (-4). The freshmen also got off to a good start, with Tom Haberer and Kyle Haas both posting scores of 68 (-4).
The second round proved tougher for the Demon Deacons, but the squad still managed to post a 283 (-5) and held a 12-shot lead over the chasing pack. The likes of Brennan, Haas, and Haberer maintained scores below par, and Wake Forest stood in great position heading into the final round.
As the third and final round unfolded, the Demon Deacons’ lead began to evaporate. Wisconsin put together a remarkable 274 (-14), stealing the win by a single stroke.
“We didn’t play great today, but [had] some real quality shots down the stretch,” Wake Forest Head Coach Jerry Haas said after the invitational. “We will continue to work on representing the Demon Deacons.”
Round three was the weakest performance from the team, only managing to shoot 287 (-1). Brennan and Haas concluded the final round by posting scores of 71 (-1), helping them to individually finish eight under par and tied for third. Kennon made back-to-back birdies on both the front and back nine, helping him finish tied for eighth. Haberer finished the final round at No. 20, and junior Collin Adams finished tied for No. 33.
Despite not closing out the win, there are plenty of positives to take away for the team. This second place finish earned the Demon Deacons 35 NCAA Division I points and helped propel them three spots higher to #40 nationally.
“What a place we were treated to this week. We had a great time at Ford Field and River Club. Thanks to Georgia Southern for hosting,” Coach Haas concluded.
Next on the agenda for the Wake Forest Men’s golf is hosting the Wake Forest Invitational at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club No. 2 in Pinehurst, N.C. The Demon Deacons will look to build on a strong showing this week and continue to improve as the season progresses.
