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MONTGOMERY, AL. – The #3-ranked Dalton State Roadrunners claimed their third consecutive SSAC championship on Wednesday in the final round of the Southern States Athletic Conference Championships held at the Par-71, 6,764-yard Arrowhead Country Club in Montgomery, AL. The Roadrunners finished with a team total (-23, 829) that gave them a 32-shot win over 2nd place Coastal Georgia. Dalton State also set a new 54-hole school scoring record in the victory.
THE FINAL ROUND
The Roadrunners saved their best for last, firing an (-11, 273) to record the best score for the entire tournament. S.M. Lee continued to dominate the course, firing (-3, 68) towards a tournament total (-7, 206) and claiming his fourth individual medalist honor on the season.. He opened with two consecutive birdies on holes 2 and 3 to go out in 34. The back proved no trouble for Lee as he posted par at 10-14 and birdie on 15 towards a (-2, 34) on the back.
P.J. Shields posted a solid third round (+2, 73) towards a tournament total of (-5, 208) and claimed 2nd. Shields opened with a bogey on #1, but posted back-to-back birdies on 4 and 5 to go out in 36. The back would give him some trouble as he posted a double bogey on 12, but Shields would find his rhythm and post par on 13-16. Shields would get within one of Lee after a birdie at 17, but closed out with a bogey at 18.
Chase Cole had an excellent third round (-4, 67) towards a tournament total of (-4, 209). Cole moved up three spot to claim 3rd. Cole posted birdie on 5 to go out in 35. The back gave him no trouble as Cole posted birdies on 10, 13, and 15 to finish with his best 9 in the tournament coming in with a (-3, 32) on the back.
Ben Rebne carded a third round (E, 71) towards a tournament total of (-1, 212) and finished tied for 5th. Rebne started with bogey on #1, but posted par on 2-9 to go out in 37. He had a rough start on the back with bogies on 10 and 12, but finished in style with consecutive birdies on 16 and 17 for a (-1, 34) on his final nine.
Dalton Johnson shot (-4, 67) to round out the scoring for the Roadrunners. Johnson opened with a bogey, but found his stride with three straight birdies on 5-7 to go out in 35. Johnson would continue strong to finish with back-to-back birdies on 17-18 for (-3, 32) on the back.
QUOTES FROM COACH
"It's pretty incredible to have almost a brand new team and for them to have accomplished what they have done this year." said DS men's coach Ben Rickett. "Winning a conference championship is always one of the goals at the beginning of the year on the way to getting ready for the national championship." He continued "These scores this week can be deceptive as there are some strong teams in our conference but they took care of business early in the tournament and never let up.
Coach Rickett concluded "We will enjoy this one for a little while before we start focusing on the national championship. Three in a row is a blessing and couldn't be more thankful for the group of guys that I get to work with on a day-to-day basis."
The Dalton State's Men's Golf team earns an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship with their victory. The team will travel to Silvis, Illinois, and TPC Deere Run to compete in the four-day tournament for a national title starting on May 16.
TEAM STANDINGS
Pos
Team
To Par
Thru
Today
R1
R2
R3
Total
Â
2 Â F
294
304
279
877
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2 Â F
297
287
301
885
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1 Â F
322
315
307
944
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1 Â F
325
307
315
947
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS
Pos
Player
Team
To Par
Thru
Today
Total
1
Â
1 Â Dalton State
F
68
70
68
206
2
Â
1 Â Dalton State
F
68
67
73
208
3
Â
3 Â Dalton State
F
74
68
67
209
4
Â
1 Â Coastal Georgia
F
70
70
70
210
T5
Â
2 Â Loyola-New Orleans
F
71
72
69
212
T5
Â
1 Â Dalton State
F
68
73
71
212
T7
Â
1 Â Martin Methodist
F
73
72
72
217
T7
Â
1 Â Coastal Georgia
F
76
69
72
217
T7
Â
3 Â Faulkner University
F
72
69
76
217
T10
Â
3 Â Bethel University (TN)
F
76
71
71
218
T10
Â
2 Â Coastal Georgia
F
74
72
72
218
T10
Â
3 Â William Carey U.
F
72
75
71
218
T13
Â
8 Â Coastal Georgia
F
73
77
69
219
T13
Â
16 Â Mobile, U. of
F
78
75
66
219
T15
Â
4 Â William Carey U.
F
74
75
71
220
T15
Â
2 Â Mobile, U. of
F
74
73
73
220
T17
Â
2 Â Mobile, U. of
F
73
76
72
221
T17
 - Â
Faulkner University
F
70
78
73
221
T17
Â
9 Â Loyola-New Orleans
F
75
70
76
221
T20
Â
3 Â Faulkner University
F
74
74
74
222
T20
Â
12 Â William Carey U.
F
75
70
77
222
22
Â
1 Â Coastal Georgia
F
75
75
73
223
23
Â
2 Â Faulkner University
F
81
70
73
224
T24
Â
6 Â Blue Mountain College
F
81
73
71
225
T24
Â
9 Â Mobile, U. of
F
76
80
69
225
T24
Â
11 Â Loyola-New Orleans
F
75
72
78
225
27
 - Â
William Carey U.
F
76
76
74
226
T28
Â
6 Â Brewton-Parker
F
78
79
71
228
T28
Â
3 Â Martin Methodist
F
77
74
77
228
T28
Â
7 Â Faulkner University
F
74
76
78
228
T31
Â
4 Â Loyola-New Orleans
F
76
76
78
230
T31
Â
3 Â Brewton-Parker
F
76
81
73
230
T31
 - Â
William Carey U.
F
72
83
75
230
T31
Â
10 Â Brewton-Parker
F
74
76
80
230
35
Â
3 Â Martin Methodist
F
78
81
72
231
36
Â
3 Â Martin Methodist
F
80
81
73
234
37
Â
3 Â Loyola-New Orleans
F
84
73
78
235
T38
Â
4 Â Bethel University (TN)
F
77
80
79
236
T38
Â
7 Â Blue Mountain College
F
81
74
81
236
40
Â
1 Â Brewton-Parker
F
83
79
76
238
T41
Â
2 Â Blue Mountain College
F
78
83
80
241
T41
Â
2 Â Martin Methodist
F
81
84
76
241
43
Â
3 Â Blue Mountain College
F
83
85
77
245
44
 - Â
Blue Mountain College
F
82
85
79
246
45
Â
4 Â Bethel University (TN)
F
86
76
87
249
46
Â
2 Â Bethel University (TN)
F
87
80
83
250
47
 - Â
Bethel University (TN)
F
86
86
82
254
48
 - Â
Dalton State
F
D
74
67
141
49
 - Â
Mobile, U. of
F
71
D
72
143
