MSU's Wood, Bell Finish In Top 10 at Old Waverly Collegiate Championship

Tuesday, April 5

West Point, Miss. (Old Waverly GC)

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Mississippi State

Old Waverly Collegiate Championship

MSU's Wood, Bell Finish In Top 10 at Old Waverly Collegiate Championship

April 05, 2016 | Men's Golf

By: hailstate.com

WEST POINT, Miss. – On the final day of its regular season, the Mississippi State men's golf team shot a team 297 to finish in seventh place in the Old Waverly Collegiate Championship.

Mississippi State shot a third-straight 297 to finish the fourth annual event with an 891.

The tandem of Ben Wood and Ross Bell paced the Bulldogs on a beautiful Tuesday at Old Waverly Golf Club, tying for eighth.

“Ben Wood had a good week. He seems to be rounding into form heading into SEC's,” MSU coach Clay Homan said. “It was great to see Ross [Bell] have the best tournament of his career. I like how he is going about his business and is always improving.”

In the final regular-season round of his career, the senior Wood made timely pars on his way to shooting a 1-over-par 73. He opened the tournament with back-to-back scores of 72 on Monday to finish with a 217.

Bell also finished with a 217, firing a second-straight 73 after opening the MSU-hosted event with a 71. He wrapped Tuesday's event on a strong note, playing his final nine holes at 1-under.

As the first of three Bulldogs competing as an individual, Johnny Newnham claimed his second Top-25 finish at Old Waverly with a final-round 77 that tied him for 22nd (222).

Also playing as an individual, Jackson Dick birded three holes on his way to a 2-under 70 that moved him into a tie for 41st with a three-round total of 226.

Redshirt sophomore Taylor Grant improved four shots on his opening two rounds with a 74 that put him in 60th with a 230.

Rounding out the Maroon and White team scorecard, Ben Follett-Smith shot an 82 on Tuesday to finish the event in 82nd.

Severin Soller, State's third individual competitor, carded his best round with a 77 that placed him 83rd.

“Right now we are not getting any scores under par, so when you have those 76s and 77s, the team score quickly adds up,” Homan said. “We need more production throughout the entire lineup and eliminate some of the mistakes that should be easily avoidable.”

McNeese State won the team tournament by six shots over second place Ole Miss and individual winner Braden Thornberry.

MSU returns to action April 15-17 when it travels to St. Simons Island, Georgia, to play in the SEC Championship at Sea Island Golf Club.

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Old Waverly Collegiate Championship

1. McNeese State (289+283+294=866, +2)

2. Ole Miss (290+283+299=872, +8)

3. Lipscomb (292+285+298=875, +11)

4. Georgia State (269+290+294=880, +16)

5. Kansas State (287+299+297=883, +19)

6. Southeastern Louisiana (293+302+294=889, +25)

7. Mississippi State (297+297+297=891, +27)

8. Louisiana Tech (302+294+298=894, +30)