Georgia Golfers Finish 17th At NCAA Championships

Sophomore, Keith Mitchell, was the low Bulldog at the NCAA Championship tying for 9th individually

The Georgia men's golf team saved its best for last on Thursday at the NCAA Championships.

The Bulldogs carded a 4-over-par 288 at The Riviera Club, seven shots better than their first round and 10 strokes better than their second round. Thursday's loop gave Georgia a three-day total of 29-over 881.

The Bulldogs, however, fell short of their goal of a top-8 finish to advance to match play. Georgia wound up in 17th place, six shots behind eighth. The teams advancing to match play starting on Friday were Alabama (859), UCLA (861), Texas (869), California (871), San Diego State (871), Washington (872) and Oregon (873). Kent State and Florida State shared the eighth spot at 875 and will have a playoff on Thursday to determine which team moves on.

"We're disappointed about not being able to advance, but we definitely closed on a high note," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "We avoided some of the big pitfalls today. We played a little looser today and down the stretch we finished better, which is something we wanted them to do."

Sophomore Keith Mitchell paced the Bulldogs on Thursday, firing a 2-under 69. Sophomore Brian Carter added a 1-over 72, junior T.J. Mitchell had a 2-over 73, freshman Nicholas Reach signed for a 3-over 74 and sophomore Joey Garber posted a 4-over 75.

Keith Mitchell wound up as the top Bulldog in the field, coming in ninth at 1-over 214. T.J. Mitchell finished at 5-over 218, followed by Reach at 12-over 225, Carter at 13-over 226 and Garber at 14-over 227. Illinois' Thomas Pieters claimed NCAA medalist honors as he finished at 5-under 208.

And while the 2012 season may be over, the Bulldogs quickly turned their attention to the 2013 campaign.

"Being here was a great accomplishment for our team," Carter said. "It's a tremendous help not losing anybody. Next year, the NCAAs are in Atlanta, and if we keep growing up, we might have a really good shot at it."

"Before the round, we told the guys we wanted them to learn for the future," Haack said. "We wanted to stress what it takes to have a complete round and how valuable every shot is for all three rounds. As they look back, they'll find a couple of shots they'll wish they had saved. If they learn that, it will be helpful down the road."

Added Keith Mitchell, "If we stick to our game plan next year and play strong through the fall and spring, I think we'll be fine."

Bulldogs Slip To 19th At NCAA Championships



Junior T.J. Mitchell is one of two Bulldogs tied for 25th individually at the NCAA Championship



 After climbing into contention early in the second round, the Georgia men's golf team slipped further back at the NCAA Championships on Wednesday at The Riviera Club.

The 20th-seeded Bulldogs successfully navigated the front nine and vaulted from the middle of the pack into the top 10. That position was a critical one as the top eight teams after Thursday's third round will advance to match play while the other 22 teams will be eliminated.

However, on the back nine, the Bulldogs went 12-over par and wound up at 14-over 298 for the day. After two rounds, Georgia is in 19th place at 25-over 593 --- nine strokes behind current eighth-place teams California, Kent State, Florida, Southern Cal and Illinois (584). Alabama has the overall lead at 572.

"We know exactly what we need to do," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "We're nine shots back, and it's up to us to get them back. We can't expect or rely on anyone to give them to us. Nine shots is a reachable goal, but we've got to show that we want it. Our goal all season has been to make it to match play at the NCAAs. Thursday is a growing-up kind of day for us. We need to come out blazing and try to get ourselves into that top eight. We had some positives early on today, so we need to build off of those. We also had some negatives, and we need to learn from them. Every walk around this golf course is an opportunity to learn and to perform well."

The Bulldogs will tee off in 10-minute increments on Thursday from 10:30 to 11:10 a.m. EST. Georgia will be paired with Chattanooga and Texas A&M.

Sophomore Keith Mitchell paced the Bulldogs on Wednesday with a 1-over 72. Junior T.J. Mitchell signed for a 3-over 74, while sophomore Joey Garber had a 4-over 75, and sophomore Brian Carter and freshman Nicholas Reach each posted a 6-over 77.

The Mitchells (no relation) are tied for 25th in the individual race at 3-over 145. They are eight strokes behind leader Thomas Pieters of Illinois (137). Reach is at 9-over 151, followed by Garber at 10-over 152 and Carter at 12-over 154. The individual national champion will be crowned following Thursday's round.

"Hopefully, we can keep our noses down all the way through the round Thursday," Keith Mitchell said. "We need to fire on all cylinders. We've got nothing to lose now. We need to shoot at every pin and make every putt because it could be our last competitive round of the year."

"We've got to put it together for a complete round," Haack said. "We've got to play all 18 and keep it going because anything can happen out here. We've played both nines well and both nines bad. We need to remember the good stuff and do it again."

"We need a good round Thursday," T.J. Mitchell said. "We're nine down, but you never know what will happen. The course is tough, so we've just got to hang in there, let it go and see what happens."

Live results and tee times can be found at NCAA.com.

Georgia Golfers Ready To Tee It Up At NCAAs

Georgia football coach Mark Richt has to replace three-fifths of his offensive line for the upcoming season. Bulldogs golf coach Chris Haack can relate.

Haack has gotten his Georgia men’s golf team back to the NCAA Championships despite saying goodbye to four members of the NCAA runner-up squad from a year ago (current professionals Harris English, Russell Henley, Bryden Macphersonand Hudson Swafford).

But as Haack noted after the Bulldogs qualified for the NCAAs, “I’d say it’s been a great year. No matter what happens, it’s been a great year.”

With that attitude in place, the Bulldogs will join 29 of the nation’s top teams at the Riviera Country Club (par-71, 7,292 yards) in Pacific Palisades, Calif., for the NCAAs, which will be held Tuesday through Sunday. The 30 teams are slated for 54 holes of stroke play, with the top eight then advancing to match play. The individual national champion also will be crowned after 54 holes.

Georgia is seeded 20th for the tournament and has been paired with Central Florida and Iowa for the first two rounds. Texas,  Alabama and California are the top three seeds for the NCAAs.

“The sky’s the limit for our team,” Haack said. “Our plan is to go out there, be relaxed and look at it as ‘why not us?’ If we play well, we can play with anybody else in the country. For these guys, this will be an invaluable experience to get to compete at this level, to feel that pressure and to see what it’s all about trying to win a championship.”

The Bulldogs will begin pursuit of the national title on Tuesday when they tee off in 10-minute increments from 10:20 to 11 a.m. Eastern. On Wednesday, Georgia will tee off from 3:40 to 4:20 p.m. The third-round tee times and pairings will be based on the 36-hole scores. Live scoring and tee times can be found at ncaa.com.

Georgia will use a lineup of junior T.J. Mitchell, sophomores Brian Carter, Joey Garber and Keith Mitchell, and freshman Nicholas Reach. T.J. Mitchell is the only Bulldog remaining from last year’s NCAA runner-up team; however, Garber played in 2011 for Michigan as it came in 10th. Carter, Keith Mitchell and Reach will be making their NCAA debuts.

Said T.J. Mitchell, the Bulldogs’ elder statesman, “Everything from here on is a plus. We’re looking forward to making it to the top eight, and then we’ll go from there. If you can get to match play, you never know what will happen.”

The Georgia quintet has been assembled for five additional events this season, highlighted by second-place efforts in the USF Invitational and the Linger Longer Invitational. With this lineup, the Bulldogs came in fourth in both the SEC Championship and the NCAA Athens Regional.

The Bulldogs advanced to the NCAAs for the 14th time in 16 seasons under Haack. Georgia won the 1999 and 2005 NCAA titles and came in second in 2007 and 2011.

“Making it to the NCAAs is a feeling that never gets old,” Haack said. “It’s an honor to be in the field, and that’s how we look at it. Without question, this is an elite field and we will have to play our best to be in the hunt. That said, our guys are excited about the opportunity and can’t wait for this challenge.”


Live scoring can be followed at www.golfstat.com

Dawgs Advance to NCAA Championship

Needing a top-5 finish, the 24th-ranked Georgia men's golf team secured a berth in the NCAA Championships with a fourth-place effort on Saturday in the Athens Regional at the UGA Golf Course.

The Bulldogs finished at 12-over 864 with a 12-over 296 in the final round and next will play in the NCAAs May 30-June 3 at the Rivera Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif. Also advancing from the Athens Regional were Alabama (828), East Carolina (853), North Florida (858) and Iowa (866). Long Beach State's Philip Chian (210) claimed the regional's individual berth.

"At the beginning of the year, knowing all the new faces we were going to put in the lineup, I didn't even know if we'd have a chance to make it to the regionals," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "To be able to not only make it but finish fourth and move on, I'd say it's been a great year. No matter what happens, it's been a great year."

"Luckily we had enough clutch pars to get it done," sophomore Joey Garber said. "Whether you're first or fifth you're going, so we're happy about that."

The Bulldogs, sporting a lineup of one junior, three sophomores and a freshman, advanced to the NCAAs for the 14th time in 16 seasons under Haack. Georgia won the 1999 and 2005 NCAA titles and came in second in 2007 and 2011.

On Saturday, the Bulldogs got a 2-over 73 from junior T.J. Mitchell, 3-over 74s from Garber and freshman Nicholas Reach, and a 4-over 75 from sophomore Brian Carter. Sophomore Keith Mitchell had the Bulldogs' non-counting score of 7-over 78.

T.J. Mitchell came in seventh individually at 2-under 211, seven shots behind medalist Justin Thomas of Alabama (204). Carter placed 18th at 3-over 216, Garber finished 29th at 6-over 219, Reach came in 45th at 8-over 221 and Keith Mitchell placed 51st at 9-over 222.

"My heart lost a few years again and I'll probably have a few more gray hairs," said Haack, whose 2010 Bulldogs lost in a regional playoff and whose 2011 squad advanced by one stroke. "It is such a stressful week. To be able to get through it and make it, that's all we needed to do. We probably made it a little tighter than we needed to make it, but the guys came through. We're all excited, we'll have some fun and get ready for nationals. ... This is a great learning experience for these guys and it will pay dividends down the road."

Bulldogs Finish Fourth at SEC Championship

The 25th-ranked Georgia men's golf team finished in fourth place at the SEC Championship on Sunday.

Playing Sea Island Golf Club's Seaside Course, the Bulldogs fired a 13-over 293 in the final round to wind up at 10-over 850. Team honors went to Alabama, which posted a final tally of 12-under 828.

Sophomore Keith Mitchell paced the Bulldogs on Sunday with a 1-over 71. Junior T.J. Mitchell signed for a 3-over 73, followed by sophomores Brian Carter and Joey Garber at 3-over 73 and 5-over 75, respectively. Freshman Nicholas Reach had the Bulldogs' non-counting score of 7-over 77.

Keith Mitchell came in 10th in the individual race, posting an even-par 210. Medalist honors went to Alabama's Justin Thomas at 7-under 203. Carter placed 13th at 2-over 212, while T.J. Mitchell was 15th at 3-over 213. Reach and Garber wound up at 7-over 217 and 14-over 224, respectively.

"I thought we got off to a good start today, but we couldn't keep the momentum going," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "Maybe youth finally caught up with us a little. But we'll learn from it and get better. We were in the hunt and we had a chance to place with a little pressure, so now we know what it takes, that you've got to keep playing and you can't expect these guys to give it to you. There were some good things, and we'll build on them."

Georgia will return to action May 17-19 when it hosts an NCAA Regional at the UGA Golf Course. In order to advance to the NCAA Championships May 29-June 3 in Pacific Palisades, Calif., the Bulldogs must finish in the top five at the regional.

Bulldogs Remain Second At SEC Championship

The 25th-ranked Georgia men's golf team remained in second place at the SEC Championship on Saturday yet saw its gap with the first-place team widen.

On Sea Island Golf Club's Seaside Course, the Bulldogs fired a 4-over-par 284 in the second round to move to 3-under 557 for the tournament. Alabama, on the strength of a 6-under 274, extended its lead over Georgia from one stroke to 11. Auburn is tied with the Bulldogs at 3-under 557.

Sophomore Brian Carter and freshman Nicholas Reach paced the Bulldogs in the second round as each signed for an even-par 70. Sophomore Keith Mitchell followed at 1-over 71, while junior T.J. Mitchell posted a 3-over 73. Sophomore Joey Garber had the Bulldogs' non-counting score of 6-over 76.

Carter is seventh individually at 2-under 138, four shots behind Alabama's Bobby Wyatt and Tennessee's Rick Lamb (134). Keith Mitchell is eighth at 1-under 139, followed by Reach and T.J. Mitchell in 13th at even-par 140 and Garber in 46th at 9-over 149.

"We didn't play as well as we did (Friday)," Carter said. "The conditions were playing a little tougher today. On a difficult course like this, you've got to have patience. Four-over's not awful out here today, but it's a good learning experience for us."

"The golf course played a little tougher and the pins were a little tougher," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "But I think all the guys played OK based on the scores. You have to give Alabama a lot of credit because they're playing extremely well. We know we have the ability to put up a good score down here, and that's going to be our goal on Sunday."

The final round of the SEC Championship will be played Sunday. Live scoring and tee times can be found at golfstat.com and secsports.com.

The weather forecast is for rain and thunderstorms overnight Saturday and throughout much of Sunday. Said Carter, "Tomorrow could be a grind-it-out kind of day. We'll put the layers on and tough it out and see how deep we can go."

Young Bulldogs Set Sights On SEC Championship

SEC Championship Notes 

A Georgia men's golf team that looks nothing like it did a year ago will join its league brethren this weekend for the Southeastern Conference Championship at Sea Island Golf Club on St. Simons Island.
The 25th-ranked Bulldogs and the other 11 teams will compete Friday through Sunday on the par-70, 6,898-yard layout on the Seaside Course.

Georgia has been a dominant force at the SECs, winning a league-best 28 conference titles. Under Coach Chris Haack, the Bulldogs have secured seven SEC titles, including five of the 11 tournaments held at Sea Island.

But this year, Haack will be rolling out perhaps his most inexperienced squad ever. Junior T.J. Mitchell is the only Bulldog who has made the trek around Sea Island -- and he did so with the victorious Bulldogs in 2010. Sophomores Brian Carter, Joey Garber and Keith Mitchell and freshman Nicholas Reach all will be making their postseason debuts for Georgia.  A year ago, the SECs lineup included All-Americans Harris English, Russell Henley, Bryden Macpherson and Hudson Swafford -- all of whom are now playing professionally.

"We know the guys we have now are extremely talented. The only thing that's really missing is experience," Haack said. "But unlike football or basketball where you go head-to-head against someone else, our sport is you against the golf course. If our guys can take care of the mental part of the game, then we'll be fine.  All the guys have done really good things at different points this year. The key is getting them to do it on a consistent basis. If we get that, if they all play to their potential at the same time, it will be fun."

The SEC is as strong as ever with No. 2 Alabama, No. 3 Auburn, No. 10 Arkansas, No. 21 LSU and No. 23 Florida joining the Bulldogs in the national rankings. And in discussing the SEC, Haack was quick to reference one of Georgia golf's favorite sons, Bubba Watson.

"Our league is very strong, but that's the way it should be," Haack said. "There's a lot of pride in winning your conference tournament, and it shouldn't be easy to do. If you win this league, you've definitely earned it. Before the Masters, everybody was picking the experienced guys like Phil (Mickelson) and Tiger (Woods). Nobody was picking Bubba. I think people are looking at favorites for the SECs and I don't think anybody's picking us, so we hope we can be this week's Bubba down there."

The Bulldogs will tee off Friday in 10-minute increments between 8 and 8:40 a.m. with their counterparts from Alabama and Arkansas on the 10th hole. The Saturday and Sunday tee times will be based on the standings. Live results and tee times can be found here.

Bulldogs Play Well at Azalea Invitational

The Azalea Invitational had a very Bulldog feel to it as there were five Bulldogs finishing in the top 25 of the 72 hole event held at The Country Club of Charleston.   Keith Mitchell was the low Bulldogs as he finished 3rd at 10 under par.  Mitchell posted a final round 65 to finish 4 back of the winner.  Nick Reach and Michael Cromie each tied for 9th at 6 under par.  Cromie held a share of the 54 hole lead, but fell to 9th with a final round 74.  Reach's week was highlighted by a second round 64.
Brian Carter finished in 16th place at 1 under par for 72 holes and Joey Garber tied for 25th at 2 over par.  Former Bulldogs Jack Larkin finished 44th at 8 over par and Jack Hall finished tied for 46th at 9 over par.

The UGA Golf Team will return to action on April 20-22 at Sea Island for the SEC Championship.

Georgia Golfers Second At Linger Longer



Freshman Nick Reach finished runner-up at The Linger Longer Invitational

Georgia's Nick Reach finished second individually in dramatic fashion at the Linger Longer Invitational at the Great Waters Course at Reynolds Plantation on Sunday. Reach, a freshman from Moscow, Pa., birdied the final two holes of regulation to force a playoff with Alabama's Cory Whitsett. Both golfers birdied No. 18 on the first three holes of the playoff. Reach then birdied No. 18 again, but an eagle by Whitsett gave him the victory.

The No. 25-ranked Bulldogs placed second in the team field, closing with a 5-under 283 to finish the 54-hole event at 12-under 852. No. 7 Alabama won the team title at 26-under 838.
"There are signs we're getting better," head coach Chris Haack said. "We put ourselves behind the eight ball with a bad first nine holes yesterday, but I was pleased with the way that they battled back and turned this into a solid performance in the end. There are still some youthful mistakes but there are also signs of improvement."

Reach shot 4-under 68 on Sunday. He fell to 1-over on the day following his only bogey of his Sunday loop at No. 3. He rallied to turn at 1-under after birdies at No. 6 and No. 9 and moved further into red numbers with another birdie at No. 11. Reach posted a quartet of pars before back-to-back birdies at No. 17 and No. 18.
In addition to Reach's 68, the Bulldogs also counted 71 from sophomore Joey Garber and a pair of 72s from sophomore Keith Mitchell and junior T.J. Mitchell.
Garber and sophomore Brian Carter, who shot 74 on Sunday, also posted top-10 finishes, tying for sixth at 4-under 212 and 10th at 2-under 214, respectively.

In addition, Sam Straka, who competed as an individual, finished 22nd at 218; Michael Cromie, also competing individually, tied for 23rd at 219; T.J. Mitchell tied for 26th at 220; Keith Mitchell tied for 31st at 222; and Sepp Straka, UGA's third individual competitor, tied for 43rd at 227.

The Bulldogs will enjoy a four-week break from competition before opening play at the SEC Championships on Friday, April 20.

Bulldogs Set To Play In Furman Intercollegiate

The 21st-ranked Georgia men's golf team will continue the spring portion of its schedule this weekend in the 43rd annual Furman Intercollegiate.

The tournament will take place Friday through Sunday at the Furman University Golf Club, which is a par-72, 6,994-yard course.

Joining the Bulldogs and the host Paladins will be Charleston Southern, No. 13 Clemson, Coastal Carolina, East Tennessee State, Elon, Francis Marion, Gardner-Webb, Georgia State, Marshall, Michigan, Presbyterian, Purdue, Samford, Temple, Troy, Virginia Tech, Western Carolina, Winthrop and Wofford.

The Bulldogs will use a lineup of junior T.J. Mitchell, sophomores Brian Carter, Joey Garber and Keith Mitchell, and freshman Nicholas Reach. Freshman Sepp Straka will play as an individual, meaning his scores will not count toward the team total.

"As hard as it is to believe, we're getting down to it with this season," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "After Furman, we've got Linger Longer (March 24-25) and then the SECs (April 20-22 on St. Simons Island). We need to keep improving and make sure we're hitting our stride when we get to the championship part of the schedule. That's why Furman is a big tournament for us. We need to keep playing well, building momentum and gaining more confidence."

The first round will tee off at 8 a.m. on Friday. Live scoring can be found at golfstat.com.

Bulldogs Come In Second In USF Invitational

The 22nd-ranked Georgia men's golf team finished second on Tuesday in the USF Invitational at Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club.

The Bulldogs fired a 3-under 285 in the final round to wind up at 4-under 860. No. 16 Central Florida opened the day with a 6-shot lead over the Bulldogs and maintained its advantage by also shooting a 3-under 285 to finish at 10-under 854.

Joey Garber and Nicholas Reach paced the Bulldogs on Tuesday as each signed for a 2-under 70. Keith Mitchell followed at even-par 72, while Brian Carter signed for a 1-over 73 and T.J. Mitchell had a 2-over 74.

T.J. Mitchell came in fifth individually at 2-under 214, three shots behind Louisville's Justin Dorward and Arkansas State's Chris Pledger. Garber and Reach were fifth at 1-under 215, while Keith Mitchell was 12th at 1-over 217 and Carter wound up at 4-over 220. Playing as an individual, Sepp Straka shot a 6-over 78 Tuesday to finish at 9-over 225.

"We would liked to have won this golf tournament of course, but we can leave here with our heads held high," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "We played pretty solid golf for three days, and having a spirited head-to-head competition today with UCF was good for our guys. I think we grew up a lot at this tournament. There were a lot of positives that we can build on as we move forward."

The Bulldogs will return to action Monday in Montecito, Calif., in The Maestro -- a match-play event against Southern Cal. Georgia's next stroke-play event will be the Furman Intercollegiate March 16-18.

Bulldogs Improve To Second In USF Invitational

T.J. Mitchell is fourth individually at the USF Invitational

The 22nd-ranked Georgia men's golf team moved up one spot and gained one shot on the leader on Monday in the USF Invitational at Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club.

In the second round on Monday, the Bulldogs carded a 4-under 284 --- the lowest loop of the day --- to move into second place at 1-under 575. Georgia trails No. 16 Central Florida by six strokes heading into Tuesday's final round.

T.J. Mitchell and Nicholas Reach each fired a 2-under 70 on Monday to pace the Bulldogs. Keith Mitchell, Joey Garber and Brian Carter all signed for an even-par 72.

T.J. Mitchell is now fourth in the individual race at 4-under 140, three shots behind Louisville's Justin Dorward (137). Keith Mitchell, Garber and Reach are 17th at 1-over 145, followed by Carter at 3-over 147. Playing as an individual, Sepp Straka shot a second-round 3-under 69 to go to 3-over 147.
The Bulldogs received a little inspiration as former Bulldog and Tampa resident, Ryuji Imada,  came out to watch the team compete on Monday.  The team also had the privilege of having dinner with the PGA Tour member at one of Imada's favorite local restaurant.

"As a coach, it's easy to be pleased with a day like this," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "T.J. stayed under par, and everyone else improved on his first-round score. That's the kind of improvement we've been talking about. Hopefully, we can see that improvement one more time on Tuesday."

The final round of the USF Invitational will be played Tuesday. Live results can be found at golfstat.com.

The No. 22 Georgia men’s golf team will continue its spring schedule at the USF Invitational in Dade City, Fla., Sunday through Tuesday.
The Bulldogs are coming off a ninth-place finish at the Puerto Rico Classic, where they were paced by Keith Mitchell who finished 14th in the individual race.
Georgia will feature a lineup of junior T.J. Mitchell, sophomores Brian Carter, Joey Garber and Keith Mitchell and freshman Nicholas Reach. Reach leads the Bulldogs with a scoring average of 72.46, followed by T.J. Mitchell at 72.75. Keith Mitchell, Garber and Carter have played less than 10 rounds each and are averaging 70.17, 72.00 and 72.57, respectively. Sepp Straka, who is averaging 74.60, will play as an individual.
“I can’t recall ever having a team this young, but it’s been fun,” Georgia coach Chris Haack said. “It’s been a fun challenge. Everywhere we go, it’s something new for these guys. It’s been enjoyable watching them get better week-to-week and helping them overcome the pitfalls and focus on the things we need to work on.
“All in all, it’s been good. Week to week, you don’t what you’re going to get. But I do know we’ll get a group that’s willing to play hard and lay it on the line. The more experience they get, the more tournament-ready they will be. We’ve had our ups and downs, but as long as we’re getting better, it’s going to be fine in the long run.”
Joining the Bulldogs and host South Florida will be No. 16 UCF, No. 18 Florida State, Arkansas State, Cincinnati, DePaul, Eastern Michigan, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast, Kentucky, Louisville, Marquette, Middle Tennessee State, North Carolina, Troy and Villanova.
Live scoring and tee times can be found here.

Bulldogs, Mitchell Win ODU/OBX Collegiate

The Dawgs posted the seventh best tournament score in program history in Winning the ODU/OBX Collegiate

Led by first-time medalist T.J. Mitchell, the 16th-ranked Georgia men’s golf team won the ODU/Outerbanks Collegiate Invitational on Tuesday to conclude the fall portion of its schedule.

At Kilmarlic Golf Club, the Bulldogs posted a final-round 12-under-par 276 to wind up at 30-under 834. Georgia pulled away on the back nine for a four-shot victory over Liberty. The Bulldogs’ 30-under tally is the seventh-best in school history.

“It was so nice to look in the eyes of all our players after this one,” said Coach Chris Haack, who has piloted the Bulldogs to 46 titles in 16 seasons. “These guys have worked so hard, and you could tell that it meant a lot to them. We’ve got a pretty green team and we’ve still got a long way to go, but we’re really going to enjoy this one. Winning a tournament is a feeling that never gets old.”

Mitchell, a junior from Albany, closed with a 5-under 67 to finish first at 15-under 201. Mitchell posted a two-shot win over Liberty’s Robert Karlsson, with whom he was paired on Tuesday. Mitchell’s 15-under score ties the school record for the second-lowest figure, trailing only Chris Kirk's 18-under 295 in the 2007 All-American Classic. Mitchell finished the tournament with three eagles and 14 birdies.

“I could not be prouder of T.J.,” Haack said. “He got off to such a great start (an 8-under 64 in the first round) and really just kept his foot on the gas. Coming in, he knew what was at stake for the team and for him individually and he never backed off. He really grew up this week.”

Keith Mitchell (no relation to T.J.) and Bryden Macpherson also recorded top-10 efforts. Mitchell shot a 10-under 206, including a final-round 4-under 68, to come in a career-best third. Macpherson signed for a 2-under 70 on Tuesday to wind up eighth at 1-under 215. Macpherson recorded three top-10 finishes in his four fall events.

Brian Carter shot a 1-under 71 on Tuesday to finish 13th at 1-over 217. Michael Cromie came in 23rd at 3-over 219, including a final-round 3-over 75.

The Bulldogs will resume their schedule Feb. 19-21 in the Puerto Rico Shootout.

Bulldogs Come In Fourth At Brickyard Championship

Macpherson tied for 12th at The Brickyard Collegiate

The 16th-ranked Georgia men’s golf team fired the lowest score of the third round to close out its showing in the Brickyard Collegiate Championship on Sunday.

At Riverside at the Brickyard, the Bulldogs shot a 7-under 281, which was Sunday’s lowest loop and was the second-lowest round of the three-day event. Georgia wound up in fourth at 8-over 872, with team honors going to Georgia Tech at 16-under 848.

“I was proud of the way the guys hung in there,” Georgia coach Chris Haack said. “With a young team, every day is so critical to the process. We know we’re going to make some mistakes along the way, but we’re learning and getting valuable experience every time we tee it up. This was definitely a positive day for us, and it’s one that we can build on.”

Junior Bryden Macpherson paced the Bulldogs on Sunday with a 3-under 69. Freshman Sepp Straka signed for a 2-under 70, while junior T.J. Mitchell and freshman Nicholas Reach each carded a 1-under 71. Sophomore Brian Carter had the Bulldogs’ non-counting score of 6-over 78.

Macpherson finished 12th individually --- his third top-20 in as many outings this season --- at 1-over 217. Medalist honors went to Florida State’s Brooke Koepka at 11-under 205. Carter placed 20th at 3-over 219, followed by Reach at 5-over 221, Straka at 7-over 223 and Mitchell at 8-over 224.

Playing as individuals, sophomore Michael Cromie shot a 2-over 74 on Sunday to finish at 6-over 222 and freshman Sam Straka carded a 2-under 70 for a final tally of 11-over 227.

Georgia will conclude its fall schedule Oct. 23-25 at the Old Dominion/Outerbanks Collegiate in Powells Point, N.C.

Bunker to Bunker-Georgia Golf Update, July 22

Kisner and McQuillan Tied for 2nd on PGA Tour's Canadian Open

Former Bulldogs, Kevin Kisner and Matt McQuillan, are currently tied for 2nd at the RBC Canadian Open on the PGA Tour.  Both fired a first round 2 under par 68 and sit just one stroke behind first round leader Kris Blanks.
The RBC Canadian Open is being played at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, B.C.

Kisner starts his second round at 4:30 eastern and McQuillan will begin at 5:00.  Live scoring can be followed at PGATour.com.

English in Contention on Nationwide Tour

Harris English carded a first round 66 on the Nationwide Tour

Harris English is ted for 3rd after the first round of play at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational.  English fired a first round 5 under par 66, two shots behind John Peterson.  Peterson is a recent LSU graduate who won the NCAA individual title this year.  Both English and Peterson earned their way into the field by being named Division 1 All-Americans.

English is joined in the field by former Bulldogs Justin Bolli, Paul Claxton, Brendon Todd and Brian Harman.  Currently Claxton sits in a tie for 14th at 3 under par, Harman is in a tie for 50th at even par, and Bolli and Todd are currently tied for 99th at 2 over par.

There will be live television coverage today on The Golf Channel starting at 12:30.  Live scoring can also be followed at :
http://www.pgatour.com/h/leaderboard/


Reach Leads Palmetto Amateur

Incoming Freshman Nick Reach currently leads the Palmetto Amateur

Incoming freshman, Nick Reach, currently leads the Palmetto Amateur at Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken, SC.  Reach currently holds a three shot lead after the first two rounds of play at 9 under par.  Reach jumped out to the first round lead after a first round 62 and followed that with a second round 69.

Reach is joined in the field by fellow Bulldogs Keith Mitchell and Brian Carter.  Mitchell currently site in 16th at 2 over par and Carter is in 42nd place at 6 over par after starting the second round in 5th place after a first round 68.

Scoring can be followed at Palmettoamateur.com

Mitchell in Top 10 at Scratch Golf Championship

Former Bulldog Adam Mitchell

Adam Mitchell is continuing his stellar play of late on the eGolf Tour.  Currently Mitchell sits in 7th place at 7 under par at the Scratch Golf Championship in Aiken, SC.  Mitchell carded a first round 66 and followed that with a 71 in round 2.

Mitchell was joined in the field by former Bulldog Hudson Swafford, who missed his first cut as a professional at 4 over par.

Scoring can be followed at:
http://tarheel.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/tarheel11/event/tarheel1113/contest/1/leaderboard.htm

Bunker to Bunker-Georgia Golf Update

English, Henley, Swafford Earn All-America Honors

Hudson Swafford, Harris English, and Russell Henley

Georgia golfers Harris English, Russell Henley and Hudson Swafford — who capped their collegiate careers earlier this month — have earned All-America honors.

PING and the Golf Coaches Association of America picked English for their Second Team, with Henley and Swafford earning Honorable Mention status. Golfweek tabbed English for its Third Team and Henley was named Honorable Mention.

English led the Bulldogs with a 72.39 scoring average, while Henley was next at 72.73 and Swafford was third at 73.20. The seniors helped Georgia finish second at the NCAA Championships June 5 in Stillwater, Okla.

English and Henley ended their Georgia careers as four-time All-Americans, and Swafford was picked as an All-American three times. Collectively, they rolled up the following career numbers: 11 All-America honors, 10 All-SEC certificates, 12 medalist titles, 17 team tournament victories, two SEC Freshman of the Year awards, two SEC team titles and one National Player of the Year honor.

“Those guys were tremendous ambassadors for the golf team and for the University of Georgia on and off the course,” Georgia coach Chris Haack said. “They also were great leaders. They led by example with hard work and dedication. Everything they did was for the  betterment of the team. We’re going to miss them. They have left an indelible mark on our program.”

Macpherson Wins British Amateur

Bryden Macpherson becomes the second Bulldog to win the British Amateur

Georgia golfer Bryden Macpherson won the 116th British Amateur Championship on Saturday, earning spots in this year's British Open and next year's Masters in the process.

Macpherson defeated Scotland's Michael Stewart 3&2 in the final match, joining Doug Bachli (1954) as the only Australians to win the British Amateur.

The 2011 Open Championship will take place July 14-17 at Royal St. George's. The 2012 Masters will be held April 5-8 at Augusta National.

“I can’t believe it just yet," Macpherson said. "It feels pretty good to bridge the gap of 57 years. I hope there are a few proud Aussies having a barbecue. My judgment of speed was awesome today, so that was real important, but the real key to this week was patience. As hard as it was to believe, I had complete confidence that it was going to happen for me this week. I did a really good job of staying out of my own way, and celebrating everything I did well. Staying in the moment was a major key. I love the whole atmosphere of the Amateur Championship. One of the main things is the crowds: it’s amazing how much people love their golf around here. It’s a credit to them."

Macpherson, a rising junior for the Bulldogs shot 75-70 in stroke play, then posted six straight wins in match play to win the British Amateur title. Macpherson went 3-0 in match play as the Bulldogs finished second at the NCAA Championships earlier this month.

Macpherson joins Vinny Giles (1975) as the only Bulldogs to win the British Amateur.




US Open Recap

Russell Henley during the 111th U.S. Open

Russell Henley finished his second U.S. Open with a final round 75 to finish at 4 over for the day and for the tournament.  His four over total was four shots better than his score from last year, but this time he finished in a tie for 42nd place.  Henley made plenty of noise along the way, thanks in large part to a 4 under front nine on Saturday that had him in third place individually when he made the turn on his third round.  
Henley now will finish the remainder of his amateur summer as he prepares to represent the U.S. during the Walker Cup in September.  His next tournament will be the Dogwood Invitational in Atlanta starting on June 27th.


Former Bulldogs Bubba Watson and Christo Greyling also made the cut in the 111th U.S. Open.  Christo Greyling, playing in his first major championship, finished in a tie for 68th.  Greyling had to finish his second round Saturday morning and needed a couple of birdies to make the cut.  Christo birdied 3 of his last four holes to play the weekend.  Bubba Watson, the 13th ranked golfer in the world,  finished in a tie for 63rd place.  Watson will now work on defending his title at the Travels Championship this week.


Swafford Makes Professional Debut

Hudson Swafford

Hudson Swaffford made his professional golf debut this past week on the Egolf Professional Tour.  Swafford competed in the Bolle Classic in Lexington, NC and finished in a tie for 14th place while carding a four round total of 15 under par.
Swafford is playing again this week on the Egolf Professional Tour in the Cowans Ford Open.  After two rounds at the Cowans Ford Open, Hudson currently sits in third place individually.  results can be found at:
http://tarheel.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/tarheel11/event/tarheel115/contest/1/leaderboard.htm


The Southeastern Amateur

Incoming Freshman Sepp Straka

Current Bulldog Keith Mitchell and incoming Freshman Sepp Straka posted good finishes during the Southeastern Amateur played June 15-18th at Columbus Country Club in Columbus, GA.  Rising Sophomore Mitchell finished 3rd individually at 2 under for the tournament.  Straka, who will begin his first season of college golf this fall,  finished 2nd individually at 3 under par.  

The Northeast Amateur

Northeast Amateur, June 22-25

Both Bryden Macpherson and Harris English are playing this week in the Northeast Amateur.  The Northeast Amateur is one of the best field in amateur golf each summer and is being played for the 50th year this year.  You can follow the scoring live at:
http://www.northeastamateur.com/Default.aspx

Greystone Invitational

Greystone Invitational, June 23-26

Bulldogs Keith Mitchell and Brian Carter are currently competing in the tenth annual Greystone Invitational in Birmingham, Alabama.  All the scoring and results can be found on the tournament website at www.greystoneinvitational.com.  The Greystone Invitational is a four round stroke play tournament played on the Greystone Golf and Country Club's Founders Course.