JONESBORO, GA--Francis Marion (+36), the defending NCAA Division II national champions, held off a final round charge by the two-time defending Peach Belt Conference champion USC Aiken Pacers (+42) to capture the 2004 PBC Golf Championship on Tuesday afternoon in Jonesboro, Ga. USCA shot the day's best round with a 294, three shots better than FMU's 297, but could not overcome the nine stroke deficit with which they entered the day.
The 54-hole event was contested at the 6,815 yard, par 72 Lake Spivey Golf Club in Jonesboro, Ga. and hosted by Clayton State.
It is the third conference title for the Patriots (1999 and 2001) while USCA, who has a conference-best five PBC titles (1995, 96, 97, 2002, 03), posted their fourth runner-up finish in the 13-year history of the tournament (1992, 93, 94, 98). All previous runner-up finishes were to Columbus State.
Armstrong Atlantic State (+44), who entered the tournament as the number one team in the NCAA Southeast Region poll, was third, two strokes behind the Pacers. Georgia College & State University (+56) followed in fourth, Kennesaw State (+58) was fifth, UNC Pembroke (+67) placed sixth, Columbus State (+70) was seventh, and the host Lakers of Clayton State (+97) finished eighth.
After day one where four of five Pacers carded at least one of their two rounds in the 80's, USCA had much more success on Tuesday with all five rounds below 79.
Dane Burkhart fired a final round one-over-par 73 to finish tied for fifth at eight-over-par. James McGhee also posted his sixth top 10 of the season with an even-par 72 to finish at 12-over-par. Scott Brown was one shot back following a 74 and placed 11th. The Pacers' lone senior, Bryan Sangid, carded his best round of the tournament with a 75 to tie for 15th at 16-over-par while freshman Clint Smith recorded a 78 to finish at 18-over-par and tie for 21st in the 40-player field.
AASU's Chris Epperson served as the tournament's wire-to-wire winner with a one-under-par 71 to finish at three-under-par for the event and take medalist honors. Carter Collins of GC&SU struggled to a final round 77 and finished a distance second at four-over-par. A pair of Patriots in Fredrik Ohlsson and Luke Hart finished at six-over-par to tie for third while Burkhart and FMU's Robert Hartman were fifth at eight-over-par. The top five individual finishers, plus ties, were named to the All-Tournament Team.
USC Aiken will now await the NCAA committee's selection for the 2004 NCAA Southeast Regional. The Pacers, under five-time PBC Coach of the Year Michael Carlisle in his 14th season, have qualified for the NCAA Tournament every year (12-straight).
2004 PEACH BELT CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
LAKE SPIVEY G.C. JONESBORO, GA
PAR: 72 YARDAGE: 6,815 DATES: APRIL 19-20
TEAM RESULTS
1 Francis Marion.................305 298 297 900 +36
2 USC Aiken......................308 304 294 906 +42
3 Armstrong Atl. State.......307 303 298 908 +44
4 Georgia Coll. & State.......305 305 310 920 +56
5 Kennesaw State.............313 299 310 922 +58
6 UNC Pembroke.................311 307 313 931 +67
7 Columbus State...............312 313 309 934 +70
8 Clayton State...................322 320 319 961 +97
USCA INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (+42) (2nd)
Dane Burkhart...................76 75 73 224 +8 (T-5th)
James McGhee.................75 81 72 228 +12 (10th)
Scott Brown.....................82 73 74 229 +13 (11th)
Bryan Sangid....................77 80 75 232 +16 (T-15th)
Clint Smith.........................80 76 78 234 +18 (T-21st)
INDIVIDUAL WINNER
Chris Epperson, AASU.....72 70 71 213 -3 (1st)
