Monday, March 6
Opelika, Ala. (RTJ Grand National)
All Day
Mississippi State
vs
Tiger Invitational presented by Jason Dufner
Grant has career tournament at Tiger Invitational.
Grant Has Career Day At Tiger Invitational
March 06, 2017 | Men's Golf
OPELIKA, Ala. – A strong finish by junior Taylor Grant led the Mississippi State men's golf team to an 872 total and 10th-place finish in a Tiger Invitational that was compressed to two days due to weather.
The Abilene, Texas, native fired a 7-under-par 137 over the final 36 holes, including a new career-low round of 68 in the second round. Grant tied for eighth while equaling the second-lowest 54-hole total by a Bulldog this season with a 211.
"I'm really happy for Taylor having the best finish of his career," MSU coach Clay Homan said. "He played very consistent golf this week and really took a big step forward."
Peng Pichaikool finished tied for 36th after shooting a 149. Pichaikool shaved seven strokes off his second round to shoot a 1-under 71 in the final round. The freshman has now gone under par in five of his first nine rounds as a Bulldog.
Sophomore Ross Bell shot a 149 to finish in a tie for 39th, and Jackson Dick carded a 148 over the final two rounds to tie for 54th.
Rounding out the Bulldog scorecard, Ben Follett-Smith tied for 89th after shooting a 158 over the final 36 holes.
"I thought our team really played hard today and fought back from a lot of adversity from yesterday's second round," Homan said. "The scores were extremely bunched, and finishing only five shots back of fourth means we were close to being where we needed to be."
Host Auburn won the team title, while Tomas Eldridge of UNCW took home the individual crown for the week.
MSU gets a week off before returning to the links at the March 20-21 Lone Star Invitational, the final road tournament of the regular season.
For more information on the Bulldogs, follow @HailstateMG on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Tiger Invitational
1. No. 23 Auburn (279+288+284=851, -13)
2. Troy (291+287+278=856, -8)
3. No. 27 Missouri (280+299+278, -7)
4. No. 41 Kennesaw State (287+296+284=867, +3)
5. Georgia State (290+284+294=868, +4)
T6. Charlotte (289+295+285=869, +5)
T6. UNCW (288+285+296=869, +5)
8. Arkansas State (287+290+293=870, +6)
9. South Alabama (283+299+289=871, +7)
10. Mississippi State (291+294+287=872, +8)
11. Minnesota (293+287+293=873, +9)
12. Louisville (287+293+296=876, +12)
13. West Virginia (295+289+293=877, +13)
14. Kansas State (290+297+291=878, +14)
T15.Maryland (296+288+298=882, +18)
T15. James Madison (295+291+296=882, +18)
17. UNCG (297+299+300=896, +32)
18. Davidson (293+308+305=906, +42)
19. Samford (305+316+297=918, +54)
MSU Players
T8. Taylor Grant (74+68+69=211, -5)
T36. Peng Pichaikool (71+78+71=220, +4)
T39. Ross Bell (72+75+74=221, +5)
T54. Jackson Dick (75+75+73=223, +7)
T89. Ben Follett-Smith (74+76+82=232, +16)
The Abilene, Texas, native fired a 7-under-par 137 over the final 36 holes, including a new career-low round of 68 in the second round. Grant tied for eighth while equaling the second-lowest 54-hole total by a Bulldog this season with a 211.
"I'm really happy for Taylor having the best finish of his career," MSU coach Clay Homan said. "He played very consistent golf this week and really took a big step forward."
Peng Pichaikool finished tied for 36th after shooting a 149. Pichaikool shaved seven strokes off his second round to shoot a 1-under 71 in the final round. The freshman has now gone under par in five of his first nine rounds as a Bulldog.
Sophomore Ross Bell shot a 149 to finish in a tie for 39th, and Jackson Dick carded a 148 over the final two rounds to tie for 54th.
Rounding out the Bulldog scorecard, Ben Follett-Smith tied for 89th after shooting a 158 over the final 36 holes.
"I thought our team really played hard today and fought back from a lot of adversity from yesterday's second round," Homan said. "The scores were extremely bunched, and finishing only five shots back of fourth means we were close to being where we needed to be."
Host Auburn won the team title, while Tomas Eldridge of UNCW took home the individual crown for the week.
MSU gets a week off before returning to the links at the March 20-21 Lone Star Invitational, the final road tournament of the regular season.
For more information on the Bulldogs, follow @HailstateMG on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Tiger Invitational
1. No. 23 Auburn (279+288+284=851, -13)
2. Troy (291+287+278=856, -8)
3. No. 27 Missouri (280+299+278, -7)
4. No. 41 Kennesaw State (287+296+284=867, +3)
5. Georgia State (290+284+294=868, +4)
T6. Charlotte (289+295+285=869, +5)
T6. UNCW (288+285+296=869, +5)
8. Arkansas State (287+290+293=870, +6)
9. South Alabama (283+299+289=871, +7)
10. Mississippi State (291+294+287=872, +8)
11. Minnesota (293+287+293=873, +9)
12. Louisville (287+293+296=876, +12)
13. West Virginia (295+289+293=877, +13)
14. Kansas State (290+297+291=878, +14)
T15.Maryland (296+288+298=882, +18)
T15. James Madison (295+291+296=882, +18)
17. UNCG (297+299+300=896, +32)
18. Davidson (293+308+305=906, +42)
19. Samford (305+316+297=918, +54)
MSU Players
T8. Taylor Grant (74+68+69=211, -5)
T36. Peng Pichaikool (71+78+71=220, +4)
T39. Ross Bell (72+75+74=221, +5)
T54. Jackson Dick (75+75+73=223, +7)
T89. Ben Follett-Smith (74+76+82=232, +16)
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
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