JORDAN FINDLAY HAS LAST LAUGH

OVER FELLOW SCOTS IN

ATLANTIC SUN CHAMPIONSHIP

Highlanders Russell Knox from Inverness and Duncan Stewart from Grantown on Spey finished ahead of Fraserburgh’s Jordan Findlay in the Atlantic Sun Conference men’s college championship at The Golf Club at Sanctuary Cove, Waverly in Georgia.
But it was Findlay (pictured right) who was all smiles at the finish of the 54-hole tournament because his college, East Tennessee State, won the title for the first time by the resounding margin of 14 strokes.
Knox and Stewart had helped Jacksonville University, Florida to be Atlantic Sun Conference champions last year but they could finish only fourth behind East Tennessee State this time.
On the American college circuit, team performances are all-important because they can determine how much of a college’s budget goes to the golf programme.
Knox had rounds of 75, 80 and 67 for a total of 222 over the par-71, 7,003yd course. The 67 was the best by anyone in the third round. He birdied the third, seventh, ninth, 11th and 12th and had only one birdie, at the 13th.
Knox improved from joint 19th overnight to finish a creditable seventh in a field of 50.
Duncan Stewart finished 11th on 225 with scores of 77, 73 and 75. Double bogeys at the ninth and 17th took the shine off his birdies at the second, 11th and 18th and cost him a top-10 place.
Jordan Findlay finally strung two decent rounds together. He scored 82, 71 and 74 for a share of 15th place on 227. Findlay had only one birdie, at the 12th, in his final round but he is starting to keep the double bogeys – and worse- off his scorecards.
Jamie Kennedy (Jacksonville) from Edinburgh score 79, 81 and 74 for 234 and joint 28th place. He had a double bogey at the 10th but birdies at the fourth, seventh, 16th and 18th.
Irish freshman Seamus Power (East Tennessee State) from Waterford scored his first win on the American college circuit. He had an impressive tally of three-under-par 210 with rounds of 73, 67 and 70 to win by two shots from Michael O’Neal (North Florida).
Edinburgh-born Walker Cup player Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State), coming up to the end his four-year golf scholarship – during which he has won 10 tournaments – finished third on 215 with scores of 79, 68 and 68.
Ulsterman Gareth Shaw, another of the East Tennessee State squad from this side of the Atlantic, finished joint fifth on 218 with 73, 72 and 73.

LEADING FINAL INDIVIDUAL TOTALS
Par 213 (3 x 71).
210 Seamus Power (East Tennessee State) 73 67 70.
212 Michael O’Neal (North Florida) 74 69 69.
215 Rhys Davies (East Tennessee State) 79 68 68.
Other GB&I scores:
218 Gareth Shaw (East Tennessee State) 73 72 73 (jt 5th).
222 Russell Knox (Jacksonville) 75 80 67 (7th).
225 Duncan Stewart (Jacksonville) 77 73 75 (11th).
227 Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State) 82 71 74 (jt 15th).
230 Cian McNamara (East Tennessee State) 82 76 72 (jt 22nd).
234 Jamie Kennedy (Jacksonville) 79 81 74 (jt 28th).
TEAM TOTALS
868 East Tennessee State. 882 North Florida. 897 Campbell. 902 Jacksonville (10 teams took part).