Clayton State, Wilcox Capture AASU Southbridge Pirate Invitational

SAVANNAH, Ga. - The Clayton State men's golf team shot a five-over-par 581 and captured the 2008 AASU/Southbridge Pirate invitational by three strokes over a hard-charging GCSU Bobcat squad on Tuesday morning at Southbridge Golf Club in Savannah.

The 11-team field teed off in a shotgun start at 8:00 a.m. in a strategy to beat incoming rainshowers, and it worked as all players were able to finish just 15 minutes before rain began to fall over the Southbridge Golf Club course.

The Lakers entered Tuesday's final round with a six-stroke lead over Newberry, but it was the Bobcats who represented the biggest threat to Clayton State. GCSU started the day in fifth place, nine strokes off the lead, but fired the day's best round - a two-under-par 286 - to get within three of the champion Lakers. Clayton State followed up a first-round 289 with a second-round 292 to capture the crown. Coker moved up one spot to third after a second-round 293, finishing nine strokes off the pace with a 590 total, while Lander finished fourth after a 295 on Tuesday for a 591 total. Newberry (594) slipped back to fifth place after a second-round 299, while the host Pirates tied for the second-best round of the day - a four-over-par 292 - to remain in sixth place with a 596 total.

The five-over 581 is the second-lowest round ever for a Clayton State team in a 36-hole tournament. It’s the second tournament championship for the Lakers this season combined fall and spring, and the third tournament championship since Barry Harwell took over as Laker head coach last season.

Will Wilcox of Clayton State entered the day in a three-way tie for the lead, but a three-under-par 69 gave Wilcox the individual title with a seven-under-par 137 total, two strokes ahead of Queens' Iain Hall. Hall dropped a 7-iron in for a hole-in-one on the par 3 170-yard third hole en route to a one-under-par 71 and a second-place finish with a five-under-par 139 total. Cooper Tinsley of Lander (71) and Jonathan Visconti of Clayton State (74) tied for third with two-under-par 142 totals.

Wilcox’s 7-under 137 is a new record for the lowest score to par in a 36-hole tournament in the history of Clayton State men’s golf. It’s also his third individual championship in his career – the most ever by a Laker golfer.

Hall's ace was not the only one of the day - AASU junior Chris Wolfe registered a hole-in-one on the par 3 210-yard fifth hole with a five iron, helping the top-rated DII golfer rebound from a first-round 76 to card a two-under-par 70 on Tuesday, his 10th sub-par round this season. Wolfe finished tied for ninth individually with a two-over-par 146 total, while teammate Justin Smith paced the Pirates with a 70 on Tuesday as well to finish in eighth place with a one-over-par 145 score. Daniel Mobley shot a 79 on Tuesday and Mitch Baxley carded a 74 as both players tied for 28th individually with 153 totals. Parker Gordon rounded out the Pirates' team scoring with a 78 to finish tied for 41st with a 157 total.

To see full tournament stats, click here.