Saturday, March 24
Palm Desert, Calif. (Bighorn GC)
All Day
Mississippi State
vs
Bighorn Invitational
MSU Has Historic Weekend At Bighorn Invitational
March 24, 2018 | Men's Golf
PALM DESERT, Calif. – Mississippi State secured its season-best, second-place finish at the Bighorn Invitational Saturday with the third-best tournament score in program history, a 30-under 834.
State's 274 in Saturday's final round ties the fourth-best round in MSU history. Senior Taylor Grant shot a 7-under-65 and freshman Cameron Clarke carded a 4-under-68, new career-bests.
"I am so proud of this team for how they battled all weekend," MSU men's golf coach Dusty Smith said, "We had a lot of momentum early in the round, and we were able to capitalize off our hot start. All five guys were competing for each other out there."
"Today was pretty great," Grant said. "I got off to a great start and kept the momentum going. The team played great all weekend, and we were able to put together a solid finish."
Grant collected his third-straight Top 10 performance, and finished alongside Clarke atop of the Bulldog scorecard at 7-under, tied for sixth among all players.
Clarke's 69 in Friday's opening round was a career-best until he bested himself again Saturday with the 68.
"I knew this golf course was a good fit for me if I could control what I could control and do all of the little things right," Clarke said.
With a career-best 210, sophomore Garrett Johnson finished 6-under and tied for twelfth, and was the only Bulldog to shoot under par all three rounds.
Taylor Bibbs gave MSU two great rounds to start the Bighorn Invite on Friday and was tied for first going into the final round. The senior was able to finish among the best with a 3-under-213, tied for 18th.
Sophomore Peng Pichaikool rallied on Saturday with a 70 to contribute to State's big final round after going 1-over Friday. He also ended up on the right side of the leaderboard, tied for 25th.
The Golf Dawgs finished behind No. 15 Illinois, which swept the team and individual titles.
With nine events on the road complete, Mississippi State will conclude its regular season April 16-17 with its home event at the Old Waverly Collegiate Championship at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Miss.
"There is a lot of golf in front of us, and we need to make sure we have the right focus and mindset going forward if we want to be the team we know we can be," Smith said.
For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the program on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching @HailStateMG.
MSU men's golf coach Dusty Smith:
"I am so proud of this team for how they battled all weekend. We had a lot of momentum early in the round and we were able to capitalize off our hot start. All five guys were competing for each other out there. Peng did a great job of getting us off to the start we needed. Taylor Grant continued to do what he has done the past few tournaments and give us a big round when we needed it. We talk often about embracing our process and focusing on us and what we can control. This was our next step. There is a lot of golf in front of us, and we need to make sure we have the right focus and mindset going forward if we want to be the team we know we can be."
Senior Taylor Grant:
"Today was pretty great. I got off to a great start and kept the momentum going. The team played great all weekend and we were able to put together a solid finish. We are excited to keep it up and to play at our home event. Hail State!"
Freshman Cameron Clarke:
"We knew that we could go low on this course if we could control what we could control, and that if you lost focus on just one shot you could get in trouble. Both days we came out with a lot of energy and played for each other and the name on our bags. Personally, I knew this golf course was a good fit for me if I could control what I could control and do all of the little things right. It was a great week for the team, but we still have to keep working and keep getting better going into our home event."
The Bighorn Invitational
1. Illinois (279+277+268=824, -40)
2. Mississippi State (279+281+274=834, -30)
3. Colorado (283+281+279=843, -21)
T4. Kansas (286+284+281=851, -13)
T4. BYU (284+279+288=851, -13)
6. Notre Dame (281+282+289=852, -12)
7. Indiana (291+291+278=860, -4)
8. San Diego State (294+283+287=864, E)
9. Washington State (290+293+285=868, +4)
10. Kansas State (292+292+288=872, +8)
11. South Alabama (286+296+294=876, +12)
12. Nebraska (298+290+301=889, +13)
MSU Players
T6. Taylor Grant (74+70+65=209, -7)
T6. Cameron Clarke (69+72+68=209, -7)
T12. Garrett Johnson (70+69+71=210, -6)
T18. Taylor Bibbs (67+70+76=213, -3)
T25. Peng Pichaikool (73+72+70=215, -1)
State's 274 in Saturday's final round ties the fourth-best round in MSU history. Senior Taylor Grant shot a 7-under-65 and freshman Cameron Clarke carded a 4-under-68, new career-bests.
"I am so proud of this team for how they battled all weekend," MSU men's golf coach Dusty Smith said, "We had a lot of momentum early in the round, and we were able to capitalize off our hot start. All five guys were competing for each other out there."
"Today was pretty great," Grant said. "I got off to a great start and kept the momentum going. The team played great all weekend, and we were able to put together a solid finish."
Grant collected his third-straight Top 10 performance, and finished alongside Clarke atop of the Bulldog scorecard at 7-under, tied for sixth among all players.
Clarke's 69 in Friday's opening round was a career-best until he bested himself again Saturday with the 68.
"I knew this golf course was a good fit for me if I could control what I could control and do all of the little things right," Clarke said.
With a career-best 210, sophomore Garrett Johnson finished 6-under and tied for twelfth, and was the only Bulldog to shoot under par all three rounds.
Taylor Bibbs gave MSU two great rounds to start the Bighorn Invite on Friday and was tied for first going into the final round. The senior was able to finish among the best with a 3-under-213, tied for 18th.
Sophomore Peng Pichaikool rallied on Saturday with a 70 to contribute to State's big final round after going 1-over Friday. He also ended up on the right side of the leaderboard, tied for 25th.
The Golf Dawgs finished behind No. 15 Illinois, which swept the team and individual titles.
With nine events on the road complete, Mississippi State will conclude its regular season April 16-17 with its home event at the Old Waverly Collegiate Championship at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Miss.
"There is a lot of golf in front of us, and we need to make sure we have the right focus and mindset going forward if we want to be the team we know we can be," Smith said.
For more information on the Bulldogs, follow the program on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram by searching @HailStateMG.
MSU men's golf coach Dusty Smith:
"I am so proud of this team for how they battled all weekend. We had a lot of momentum early in the round and we were able to capitalize off our hot start. All five guys were competing for each other out there. Peng did a great job of getting us off to the start we needed. Taylor Grant continued to do what he has done the past few tournaments and give us a big round when we needed it. We talk often about embracing our process and focusing on us and what we can control. This was our next step. There is a lot of golf in front of us, and we need to make sure we have the right focus and mindset going forward if we want to be the team we know we can be."
Senior Taylor Grant:
"Today was pretty great. I got off to a great start and kept the momentum going. The team played great all weekend and we were able to put together a solid finish. We are excited to keep it up and to play at our home event. Hail State!"
Freshman Cameron Clarke:
"We knew that we could go low on this course if we could control what we could control, and that if you lost focus on just one shot you could get in trouble. Both days we came out with a lot of energy and played for each other and the name on our bags. Personally, I knew this golf course was a good fit for me if I could control what I could control and do all of the little things right. It was a great week for the team, but we still have to keep working and keep getting better going into our home event."
The Bighorn Invitational
1. Illinois (279+277+268=824, -40)
2. Mississippi State (279+281+274=834, -30)
3. Colorado (283+281+279=843, -21)
T4. Kansas (286+284+281=851, -13)
T4. BYU (284+279+288=851, -13)
6. Notre Dame (281+282+289=852, -12)
7. Indiana (291+291+278=860, -4)
8. San Diego State (294+283+287=864, E)
9. Washington State (290+293+285=868, +4)
10. Kansas State (292+292+288=872, +8)
11. South Alabama (286+296+294=876, +12)
12. Nebraska (298+290+301=889, +13)
MSU Players
T6. Taylor Grant (74+70+65=209, -7)
T6. Cameron Clarke (69+72+68=209, -7)
T12. Garrett Johnson (70+69+71=210, -6)
T18. Taylor Bibbs (67+70+76=213, -3)
T25. Peng Pichaikool (73+72+70=215, -1)
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Players Mentioned
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