The Dalton State Men's Golf team finished off the first tournament of the 2020-21 season with a 7th place finish in the Scenic City Invitational at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn. on Tuesday. The Roadrunners (307 – 302 – 305 = 914) moved up to 5th in a tight middle half of the leaderboard midway through the round, but settled for 7th place overall at (+50).
UAB (296 – 295 – 287 = 878) distanced themselves from the rest of the field to take the victory. East Tennessee State (306 – 287 – 290 = 884) moved up one spot to finish runner up, with Georgia Southern (304 – 297 – 292 = 893) advancing two spots to tie for third second round co-leader Little Rock (298 – 293 – 302 = 893).
Host Chattanooga (308 – 290 – 313 = 911) slid back but held on to round out the top 5.
Sophomore Tyler White led the Roadrunners with a 2-over round of 74. After an opening double-bogey, White settled in to shoot even-par the rest of the way.
All-American Ben Rebne led a trio of Birds that shot 5-over 77. Rebne started on No. 10 and made the turn to the front at 2-over, but picked up birdies on Nos. 1 & 2 to get back to even-par. It would be a rough close to the round with bogey's on five of his last seven holes.
Joining Rebne with 77 was Matthew Cleary and Steve Kibare. Cleary snagged an early birdie at No. 11, but hit two stretches, one on the back and one on the front, where he recorded three-straight bogey's. Kibare started and ended his round with double-bogey. Otherwise, he played the other 16 holes at 1-over.
Trevor Bassett, Joshua Stern, and Eli Hendricks could not avoid the high score with Bassett posting 83, Stern 85, and Hendricks 89.
Another tough course is on the docket next as the Roadrunners will travel to Palm Harbor, Fla. to host the Invite at Innisbrook at Innisbrook Golf Club, home of the PGA Tour's Valspar Invitational.