The Wake Forest Men’s Golf team put on a solid showing in Bluffton, S.C. at the Colleton River Collegiate this week. With scores of +11, E, and +2 the Demon Deacons ended tied for third with an overall total of +13. The outlier was the first round, where all five starters shot over par, including scores of 77 (+5) and 78 (+6).
“Today was a very tough and cool day, but the guys battled as we finished the last hole in the day,” Head Coach Jerry Haas said of the play from day one. “Very proud of the way the team battled today; they showed great emotion and played until the very end.”
Despite the rocky start, the Demon Deacons bounced back in the second round, largely due to an incredible 66 (-6) from senior Scotty Kennon. The Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. native put up a bogey-free card, including four birdies on the front nine and two on the back. Kennon’s score was the lowest of the day for the Demon Deacons and the entire field.
One of those birdies was on the second hole, a 548-yard par five that played as the easiest hole on the course throughout the tournament, with an average score of 4.68. However, he managed to post pars on the three hardest holes on the course — 18, 3 and 17 — allowing him to take advantage of the easier holes.
“Scotty held us in today with an unbelievable 66 in the afternoon,” Haas said. Three of the other starters posted scores of 74 (+2), helping the Demon Deacons end the round with an overall score of even par.
The Demon Deacons ended day one in fourth place, with some work to do in the final round to have any chance of a top three finish.
The standout performer from Monday was senior Marshall Meisel, who posted a 70 (-2) with four birdies. Like Kennon from round two, Meisel took advantage of the first two holes, starting the day with consecutive birdies.
Meisel would end up shooting even for the rest of the round, and a 72 (E) from sophomore Tom Haberer helped the Demon Deacons to a +2 overall score in the final round. This was enough to move up one spot into tied for third with Chattanooga.
On the personal leaderboard, Kennon posted a final round 74 (+2), dropping him to third overall with a total of -2. Kennon was one of just five golfers to finish below par. Haberer finished tied for 14th, with a score of +4.
“After a slow first nine holes, we played some better golf,” Haas said in a post-match statement. “We are a team that can improve with some confidence and continued belief.”
Wake Forest Men’s Golf will be back in action in two weeks at the General James Hackler Championship in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
