The Alabama men’s golf team finished in fourth place at the Administaff Augusta State Invitational on Sunday. Part of the disappointing finish could be due to the amount of rounds the Crimson Tide has participated in during the last month.
“We played three weeks in a row and 12 rounds in 15 days,” head coach Jay Seawell said. “I thought we were a little tired and that’s because of scheduling. There were a couple of times where we had a chance to get in the tournament, and we just didn’t do the things we needed to do to get on top of the leader board.”
The Tide finished at 1-under-par 863. Oklahoma State earned first place with a 16-under-par 848.
Freshman Cory Whitsett finished tied for fifth after the first day with a 141. He carded six birdies in the first round and led the team at 6-under-par 210 and finished tied for third.
“I think [Whitsett] is starting to get comfortable with college,” Seawell said. “It’s not shocking how he’s playing. It’s nice to see him become comfortable and more confident in himself in the new surroundings of college golf.”
Whitsett earned his first medalist honors during the Linger Longer Invitational at Greensboro, Ga. He has led the team in the past three tournaments since the Tide lost freshman Bobby Wyatt due to a shoulder injury.
“When Wyatt went out, I think Whitsett made a conscious understanding that he needs to become a better player for his team,” Seawell said. “I think Wyatt’s injury has helped Whitsett focus a little more on detail. I think Wyatt’s injury does have a direct result in Whitsett’s good play.”
Junior Hunter Hamrick finish tied for 18th with a 1-over-par 217. Junior Bud Cauley finished with a 2-over-par 218 and finished tied for 25th. Sophomore Lee Knox finished tied for 54th with a score of 224. Freshman Trey Mullinax finished tied for 63rd with a total of 226.
The Golfweek/Sagarin No. 3 ranked Tide is currently No. 1 in the Southeastern Conference. The SEC has three teams currently ranked in the top ten, according to Golfweek/Sagarin rankings. Florida is ranked in fifth place, while Auburn is currently ranked in sixth place followed by LSU, who is currently ranked in tenth place. Seawell said the team is excited about playing in the SEC Championships this year.
“There are a lot of great teams in the SEC,” Seawell said. “I think there are six teams ranked in the top 15, so we realize we’ve got to be our best to compete. We feel comfortable with what we’ve done and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
The team has two weeks off before the SEC Championships. Last year, the Tide finished in 12th place without Cauley. Seawell said that this year the team will use the time before the SEC Championships to relax and work on the things that they feel they need to improve on.
Seawell said Wyatt will return to the lineup for the SEC Championships and that the team is looking forward to his return.
The Tide will compete at the SEC Championships in Sea Island, Ga., on April 15-17.
