2017 Memphis Intercollegiate
Colonial Country Club | Cordova, Tenn.
Result: Little Rock finishes third with an 8-over 872
Top Finisher: George Scanlon,
Tiago Lobo tie for seventh at 1-under 215
Up Next: Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational | September 25-26 | Erie, Colo.
CORDOVA, Tenn. – Little Rock opened up the 2017-18 season with a third-place finish among the 13-team field at the Memphis Intercollegiate. The Trojans matched their second round tally of 7-over 295, finishing with an 8-over 872 for the season-opening event.
Looking to defend its 2016 title, Little Rock entered Tuesday's final round tied with Middle Tennessee for the lead at 1-over as the Trojans and Blue Raiders battled back and forth for position through the front nine holes. But over the back nine, some crucial bogeys, as well as a number of doubles, as well as a surging Arkansas State proved to be too much as the Trojans settled in to the third-place finish.
Junior
George Scanlon remained in the hunt for the individual title through most of the day, sitting in sole possession of first place through the front nine at 7-under. But a challenging stretch over the back nine resulted in Scanlon finishing with a 4-over 76 in the final round, tying for seventh overall at 1-under 215.
Joining him in the tie for seventh was a familiar face as freshman
Tiago Lobo closed out a strong performance in his collegiate debut. Competing as an individual, Lobo posted a 1-over 73, matching Scanlon's 1-under 215 through the 54-hole event as the duo each earned their first collegiate top-10 finishes.
Sophomore
Logan Pate finished second among the Little Rock competitors with a 4-over 220, including a 5-over 77 in round three. Pate just missed earning a spot among the individual top-20, tying for 21st overall.
Junior
Justin Warren and freshman
Aaron Ramos finished one shot back of Pate as the duo tied for 24th at 5-over 221. Warren carded the low round of the day for Little Rock with a 1-under 71 while Ramos tallied a 3-over 74. That effort was matched by sophomore
Danial Durisic, who closed out the Little Rock scorecard at 10-over 226, tying for 37th individually.
Middle Tennessee outlasted both the Trojans and the Red Wolves to capture the team title, shooting a 4-over 868 and outlasting Arkansas State (5-over 869) by one stroke after the Red Wolves posted a 5-under 283 on the day. Western Kentucky (9-over 873) finished in fourth one shot back of Little Rock with host Memphis (15-over 879) rounding out the top-five.
While they weren't able to defend their title from the year before, it was a learning experience for Little Rock as the five-player lineup consisted of three players playing in their first events as Trojans with two sophomores entering their second season.
Little Rock hopes those lessons start to pay off next week as the Trojans head west to the Rocky Mountains for the Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational. Hosted by Colorado, the event will be held September 25 and 26 at Colorado National Golf Club in Erie, Colorado.
2017 Memphis Intercollegiate Final Results
#LittleRocksTeam
