The second-ranked Alabama men’s golf team finished tied for second at the 2013 Southern Highlands Collegiate Masters after shooting a 4-over-par 292 in the final round at the par-72, 7,510-yard Southern Highlands Country Club.
The Crimson Tide finished tied with New Mexico for second place at 5-over-par 869. California captured the team title with an 8-under-par total of 856, after shooting a 3-over 291 on Sunday. UCLA placed fourth at 6-over 870 while Stanford, who started the day in second place, was fifth at 12-over 876 after carding a 12-over 300 in the final round.
“We got a chance to compete against the best teams in the country this weekend,” Alabama head coach Jay Seawell said. “We wanted to find out just how good we are and where we stack up at this point in the season. All in all, it was a good week for us. However, we also found out that Cal is really good, and we have a lot of work to do.”
Junior Cory Whitsett got off to a tough start his third round, scoring two bogeys on the front nine and another on the 10thhole. However, the Houston, Texas, native caught fire, making four birdies in the final eight holes to finish tied for first place at 4-under-par 212. He shot 1-under 71 in the final round.
Whitsett was tied with three others players – Patrick Rodgers of Stanford, James Erkenbeck of New Mexico and Michael Kim of California – after 72 holes but saw Rodgers win the playoff to capture medalist honors. It was Whitsett’s second straight top-two finish and his third top 10 of the 2012-13 season.
“I was really proud of Cory,” Seawell said. “He is playing really good right now coming off of a runner-up finish in Puerto Rico and a tie for first here. Cory is really starting to lead us on the golf course.”
Senior Scott Strohmeyer carded a 2-over 74 on day three to finish tied for seventh at 1-over-par 217 on the challenging tract at the Southern Highlands Country Club. The tie for seventh was a career-best finish while playing a team event (Strohmeyer tied for fifth earlier this year competing as an individual).
Justin Thomas bounced back from a rough first two rounds to shoot even-par 72 on Sunday to bolster the Crimson Tide scorecard. Junior Trey Mullinax counted a 75 for Alabama on Sunday and posted a tie for 31st individually. Bobby Wyatt’s 80 was dropped from the Alabama team total in the final round. He finished tied for 39th with Thomas at 9-over 225.
Alabama returns to the course March 15-17 at the Schenkel Invitational at the Forest Heights Country Club in Statesboro, Ga. The Tide posted a school-record 47-under-par total a year ago to win the Schenkel Invitational.
