ANDERSON, S.C. – Following a year that included five top-10 finishes, including three in the top-five, the Anderson men's golf team is set to compete at the 2022 South Atlantic Conference Championship.
The three-day, 54-hole tournament begins Sunday morning and concludes Tuesday afternoon at the Graysburg Hills Golf Club in Chuckey, Tenn. over a par-72, 6,834 yard course. Tee times will begin at 8:30 a.m. all three days, with 18 holes being played each day.
After the pandemic canceled the 2020 SAC Championship, Lincoln Memorial hosted the 2021 championship at the at the Woodlake Country Club in Tazewell, Tenn., with the Trojans claiming 10th place for the second consecutive year, after finishing sixth in 2018 on their home course. LMU notched a tournament record, three-round 847 a year ago, while Limestone's 860, Queens' 862 and Carson-Newman's 863 all topped Queens' previous championship record 864, which was set just in 2019.
AU posted its highest finish since joining the SAC with a fourth-place showing in 2012, with former standout Jake Miller owning the school record for a SAC Tournament appearance with a 54-hole 212, while finishing as runner-up in 2018. Adam Sheriff posted an even-par 213 in the 2008 Conference Carolinas championship.
The event has produced six different champions over the past 10 seasons, with the fifth-ranked Railsplitters hoping to become the first repeat title-winner since Carson-Newman won back-to-back conference crowns in 2017 and 2018. But standing between LMU and its fifth championship are the nationally fourth-ranked Eagles. Lincoln Memorial and Carson-Newman have each claimed four SAC titles, with Newberry taking home the hardware on three occasions. The Wolves are seeking their first title since 2011.
Presbyterian claimed the tourney championship a record six times before moving to NCAA D-I status, while Elon won the event five times (1990-1994).
The Eagle's No. 4 ranking in Golfstat's top-50 squads nationally is tops in the league, with the Railsplitters just behind at No. 5. Limestone is No. 9, while Queens was tabbed 25th in the latest ranking. Newberry was No. 32, with Coker at 36th, Lenoir-Rhyne at No. 45 and Tusculum in the 47th slot. The Trojans were just outside the top-50 – at 57th - among the South Atlantic Conference squads.
Led by Calahan Keever's three-round, 6-over-par 222, the Trojans finished in 10th place at the 2021 SAC Championship.
Keever moved up 11 spots during the final round to claim a share of 27th place, with Reece Coleman sharing 35th place. Daniel Coker finished in a tie for 48th place a year ago, with Anthony Sutton wrapping up the Trojan contingent in 56th place.
The Trojans have finished among the top seven teams in all but two of their tournaments this year, including their highest finish of the season (fourth) at Lincoln Memorial's Spring Kick-off Intercollegiate, and posted a pair of fifth-place performances - at the Miami Intercollegiate and at the Tusculum Invitational.
AU closed out the regular season at the Tusculum Invite on the same course that the Pioneers will host the SAC Championship.
During the 2021-22 campaign, the team has matched the fourth-lowest 54-hole tournament score in program history – with an 867 at the Donald Ross Intercollegiate in October – while also matching the eighth-, 11th- and 12th-lowest three-round scores in school history. Keever matched the fourth- and eighth-lowest individual 54-hole scores in school history, with a 210 and a 211, during the regular season, while Coleman matched the 14th-best three-round score twice during the year, with a pair of 213s.
AU also posted the fourth lowest single round in program history, with a third-round 280 at Barton's Spring Bulldog Clash and matched the fifth- and eighth-best rounds with a 282 at the Camden Intercollegiate and a 283 in the second round of the Donald Ross Intercollegiate.
Coleman, who is ranked 72nd nationally, captured Second-Team All-SAC recognition on Friday for the third straight season after also being recognized as a second-team selection a year ago and being named SAC Freshman of the Year in 2020. He posted a team-best 72.48 unadjusted stroke average through eight tournaments this year, with his low round of the season (66) in the final round of Barton's Bulldog Clash equaling the third-lowest round in school history.
The native of a native of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, carded two rounds of 67 - at the Camden Collegiate and the LMU Spring Kick-off - and a 69 at the Miami Intercollegiate. He notched six top-25 performances, including three top-10 finishes and finished as runner-up at the Spring Kick-off.
Keever, a sophomore from Greenville, captured Second-Team All-Conference accolades a year ago and is currently ranked 136th nationally. He owns five top-25 finishes this year and has carded two rounds of 68 and four 69s on the way to a 72.96 unadjusted stroke average.
Simon Wright, a freshman from Lancaster, S.C., is third on the squad with an unadjusted stroke average of 76.05, while firing a 67 in the second round of the Camden Collegiate in early October, while posting three rounds of 73 during the year.
Coker, a sophomore from Hartsville, owns a 76.30 stroke average through seven tournaments and notched a 71 in both the second round of the Donald Ross Intercollegiate in mid-October and during the second round of the Tusculum Invitational. He also carded a pair of 72s during the year.
Junior Parker MacDonald has a 77.09 unadjusted stroke average through three tournaments this year and has posted a pair of even-par 72s, with Sutton owning a 77.53 stroke average through six tournaments.
Former members Presbyterian and Elon own six SAC titles and five SAC titles, respectively, while Catawba, Carson-Newman and Lincoln Memorial will each be looking for their fifth SAC Championship. Newberry will be seeking its fourth title.
Live scoring will be available for all three rounds through Birdiefire.com.
