Rockdale Citizen

MILLEDGEVILLE -- Georgia College senior and former Eastside golfer Taylor Smith was named Bobcat Athlete of the Week for his efforts during the week ending Sept. 16.

Smith showed consistency in helping lead the No. 8 ranked Bobcats to a second-place finish at the Raines Intercollegiate, a largely Division I tournament in Florence, S.C. Smith was tied for the team lead in 13th place overall amongst the 85 golfers at the tournament thanks in large part to his consistency of following an opening-round 72 with a pair of 71s. Smith finished two-under par, giving GC a trio of golfers below par.

In the opening round of the Kiawah Island Invitational hosted by USC Aiken, Smith and senior Patrick Garrett (Kennesaw) and sophomore Ryan Trocchio (Norcross) all came in at one-over. Junior Victor Monte (Chantilly, Va.) rounded out the team with an 80 with junior Bryan Fox of Roswell paced the team at even par posting a 72 for an overall placement of 17th.

Georgia College tied for fifth at plus-three after the first round on Monday.

The Bobcats, who are tied with Newberry College and St. Thomas Aquinas for fifth place in the 19-team field, carded a first-round 291 on the 6,875-yard, par-72 Cougar Point Golf Course,

No. 12 University of North Alabama owns the team lead at eight-under, a single stroke ahead of No. 5 USC Aiken. The Bobcats are ahead of three nationally ranked squads in No. 21 Georgia Southwestern State University, No. 22 Barton College and No. 23 Armstrong.

North Alabama senior Ricky Stimets posted the round of the day on Monday, carding a six-under 66. Three players are currently tied for second behind Stimets at 68.