Perrot Earns Medalist Honors as Tigers Take Second at Colleton River Collegiate

Tuesday, March 8

Bluffton, S.C.

University of Memphis

Colleton River Collegiate

Photo by: Joe Murphy

Perrot Earns Medalist Honors as Tigers Take Second at Colleton River Collegiate

Mar 08, 2016 | Men's Golf

Perrot Earns Second Medalist Honor of Season

BLUFFTON, S.C. - Memphis senior Thomas Perrot earned his second medalist honor of the 2015-16 season, as he carded a three-round score of 217, a stroke better than his nearest competitor, as the Tigers placed second in the field of 12 teams.

Memphis' final round 292 tied for the lowest team round in the tournament, and its 893 finished two strokes away from team champion College of Charleston's 891. Michigan State took third with an 895, while North Texas (897), Cincinnati (907), UConn (910), Miami (Ohio) (915), Xavier (917), Bowling Green (923), and Ball State (932) rounded out the top-10 in the field.

"Coming off of yesterday's frustration it was nice to play a great round of team golf," said Memphis head coach Blake Smart. "In building a sustainable program, you have to get production out of the back of the lineup, and today that happened. That helps make us a good golf team."

Played at the par-72, 7,297-yard Colleton River Plantation - Dye Course, Perrot and the Tigers opened the day on the first hole after the tournament utilized a shotgun start over the first two rounds.

Perrot opened the day with a birdie on the par-four first hole before carding a double-bogey seven on the par-five second hole. A par and a bogey on back-to-back holes put him to two-over par on the round through four holes on the day. He then followed with a birdie, par, birdie, and birdie on the next four holes to put him at one under par through eight holes in the final round

The senior closed the front nine with a bogey, before opening the back half of the course with five straight pars. Back-to-back bogeys on the 15th and 16th holes put him two over par, as he recorded a par in the last two holes to secure the two-over par round, and medalist honors.

"Thomas was very solid this week," said Smart. "He has won at the two hardest courses we have played so far this year. His growth over the past year has been unlike anything I have seen in my 12 years coaching. It's been rewarding to watch, and we still have things to clean up and sharpen and he would be the first to say that."

After rounds of even par 72 and three-over-par 75, Lars van Meijel opened the third and final round with back-to-back pars. He followed with a birdie on par-three third hole, and another birdie on the par-four fourth hole. A bogey on the fifth hole was followed by back-to-back pars on the sixth and seventh holes.

A bogey on the eighth hole put van Meijel at even par, as he closed out the front nine and opened the back nine with a par. A birdie on the par-five 11th hole put him back under par for the day, which wsa snapped at the 14th hole with a bogey. After two pars on the 15th and 16th holes, he closed the tournament with back-to-back bogeys to put him at two-over-par 74 for the day, and a 221 on the tournament, good for a tie of seventh place in the strong field.

"Lars posted another solid finish and thus week," said Smart. "He did not have his 'A' game, which speaks to his maturity and ability to grind it out."

After opening-day scores of 75 (+3) and 76 (+4), sophomore Taylor McCullum opened his day with pars on his first 10 holes, and his first non-par came on the 11th hole where he record a bogey on the par-five.

After two more pars, he birdied the par-three 14th hole and the par-five 16th hole, putting him at one under over the first 16 holes on the day. He closed his tournament with bogeys on the 17th and 18th holes, giving him a three-round total of 224, good for a tie of 12th in the field.

"Taylor worked hard on some necessary changes over the break," Smart said. "With his best finish as a collegiate golfer, I'm confident that his work has been validated. With more experience, he can be a dynamic player for us as the postseason approaches."

After back-to-back rounds of 80 to start the tournament, Eithel McGowen rebounded for the third and final round, and opened the day with birdies on the first and second holes. A bogey on the par-three third hole snapped the fast start, as he recorded a par on the next four holes. A birdie on the par-five eighth hole and a bogey on the par-four ninth put McGowen at one under par through the front nine.

The junior opened the back nine with back-to-back pars, before a birdie on the par-four 12th hole put him at two-under par through 12 holes. He followed with back-to-back pars; however, a bogey on the 15th hole, and pars over his final three gave him a third-round 71 (one under par), and a 231 over the three rounds, good for a tie of 34th overall.

"I believe so much in Eithel and his potential to be a quality college player," said Smart. "Today he showed that by being a leader in a final round"

For his third round, Chase Harris got 14 pars over the 18 holes; however, a bogey on the par-three third hole put him over par for the day. He closed the frontnine with six consecutive pars to stand one over after nine holes.

He opened the back nine with a bogey on the par-four 10th hole, and then recorded a par on the next four holes. On the par-four 15th hole he picked up a double-bogey, and then recorded a triple-bogey on the par-four 18th hole to give him his final score of 79 on the day, and 247 of the tournament, good for a tie of 79th place in the field.

Playing as an individual, J.C. Campbell had a rough start ont he day, with bogeys on the first, third, fifth, and sixth holes, putting the freshman at four over through six holes on the day. Back-to-back pars was followed by a bogey on the par-four ninth hole, as he made the turn five over par.

He opened the back nine with a bogey; however, pars on the next six holes put him six over par in the 16th hole. He closed his round with a one-over par four on the 17th hole, and an even par four on the 18th hole to give him a third-round final score of 79, tied for 50th in the field.

The Tigers return to action on March 21 and 22 at the Valspar Collegiate Invitational, hosted at the Floridian National Golf Club in Stuart, Florida.

"Now it's time to hangout and play some great courses on the way back home," said the head coach. "With a distant eye on The Valspar at Floridian, we will go back to work, and focus on getting better everyday"