GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum College men's golf team shot a school record 276 on Sunday as the Pioneers rallied from a 12-shot deficit to claim the 2015 Tusculum Invitational. The two-day, 36-hole tournament was being held at the par-71, 6,733-yard Link Hills Country Club.
Four Pioneers shot below par in Sunday's final round as TC finished with a two-day score of 569 (+1) to win by four shots over runner-up Young Harris College and capture its seventh Tusculum Invitational crown and third in the last five years.
Tusculum entered Sunday's final round in fourth place and a dozen shots behind first day leader Young Harris. TC leapfrogged the Mountain Lions as well as two-time defending Invitational champion Lincoln Memorial University and Tiffin University to claim the trophy.
Junior Nick Forsberg led the Pioneers with a new career-low 70-69=139 (-3) to finish runner-up in the tournament and one shot behind tournament medalist Eli Crumley of Young Harris 70-68=138 (-4).
Joining Crumley and Forsberg on the All-Tournament Team was the trio of Braden Galyon (Lincoln Memorial), Juan Giraldo (Shorter) and Tyler Maranville (Tiffin) who all finished with 141 (-1).
Tusculum placed two golfers in the top-10, including junior Brad Hawkins and sophomore Taylor Smith who both tied for sixth place with 143 (+1). Hawkins carded a three-under par 68 on Sunday to match the lowest round of the day. Smith followed Saturday's 73 with a one-under par 70 in the final round.
TC senior Warren Cheney finished tied for 18th place as he shaved nine shots off his first round with a final day 69 in his final collegiate tournament at Link Hills. Sophomore Chris Hutson finished 25th with 75-73=148.
Five Pioneers played as individual competitors including seniors Coleman Glick and Leif Ratliff who were also playing in their Link Hills finale. Glick shot 80-74=154 (T56th), while Ratliff carded an 83-81=164 (87th). Preston Tucker (74-77=151 - T39th), Jake Mendenhall (78-75=153 - T50th) and Samuel Davis (86-76=162 - T82nd) rounded out the TC scoring.
LMU finished third with 575, followed by Tiffin (577), Mars Hill University (580), Milligan College (585), Brevard College (591), Tennessee Wesleyan College (593), Anderson University (599) and Marian University (605) and Shorter University (605) to round out the top-10.
Mars Hill B finished 12th with 607, followed by Lincoln Memorial B (610), Spartanburg Methodist College (619), Walters State College (624), Bluefield State College (633), University of Virginia's College at Wise (638) and Urbana University (659).
Tusculum head coach Bob Dibble records his 33rd career men's tournament title with Sunday's triumph.
Tusculum returns to action Mar. 16-17 as they compete at the Hargett Memorial in Monroe, North Carolina.
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