ANDERSON, S.C. – The Anderson University men's and women's golf teams are set to host the AU Invitational on Monday and Tuesday at Cobb's Glen Country Club in Anderson, S.C.
The men's tournament will feature the host Trojans along with two teams from Belmont Abbey, Bob Jones University, Catawba, Emmanuel, Erskine, Mars Hill and Southern Wesleyan, with Spartanburg Methodist rounding out the 10-team field. The course will consist of a par-72, 7,005-yard layout, with the men teeing off at the first green, Monday at 8:30 a.m.
Tuesday's final round will have a shotgun start.
After finishing seventh two years ago and ninth in 2013, the Trojan men
rallied from a four-stroke deficit following the first round last season to win the 2016 AU Invitational by four shots over Lenoir-Rhyne. With the win, the Trojans became the first Black and Gold squad to capture the AU Invitational team title since former standout and current AU assistant coach Denton Moore led AU to the 2003 title.
Last year, AU trailed the Erskine "C" squad by four shots and Mars Hill by a pair of strokes following the opening round, but vaulted past both the Fleet and Lions to claim the win. The Erskine "C" and Erskine "B" squads finished third and fourth, respectively, while Mars Hill slipped from second into fifth place. Spartanburg Methodist, Bob Jones University, Emmanuel, Belmont Abbey "B" and Southern Wesleyan rounded out the 10-team field.
Mars Hill's Adam Lumley held on to claim individual medalist honors last season after edging Erskine's Bernie McShane in a one-hole playoff. Anderson's Grayson Bell was just two strokes further back after moving from a share of sixth place into a tie for third.
The nine-team women's event will consist of the host Trojans alongside teams from Catawba, Converse, Emmanuel, Erskine, Lincoln Memorial, North Greenville, Queens and Spartanburg Methodist. The ladies' layout will be slightly longer than a year ago, with a par-72, 5,940-yard course, with the women teeing off at the 10th green, Monday at 8:30 a.m.
AU's Makalyn Poole overcame a one-shot deficit by carding a 3-over-par 75 to become the first Trojan to win the individual title at the AU Invitational a year ago. The Williamston, S.C., native, recorded a pair of birdies and 11 pars during the final round to earn a two-shot victory over LMU's Sydney Gallant.
As a team, the Trojan women's squad posted their highest finish since placing third in both 2010 and 2011, but came up shy of a title last season, claiming second place behind just Lincoln Memorial. Anderson finished fifth in both 2013 and 2014, after placing fourth in 2012.
Lincoln Memorial led the tournament wire-to-wire to claim the team title by 14 shots over the Trojans. Lenoir-Rhyne placed third, while Erskine finished fourth and Emmanuel was fifth. North Greenville, Brevard and Spartanburg Methodist rounded out the field.
Erskine claimed back-to-back team titles in 2013 and 2014, while Flagler earned the team title in 2012.
