Rockdale Citizen

KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. -- The Georgia College golf squad rode on the success of former Eastside golfer Taylor Smith to a sixth-place finish on the 6,875-yard, par-72 Cougar Point Golf Course at the Kiawah Island Invitational, hosted by USC Aiken, on Tuesday.

The No. 8 Bobcats carded a first-round 291 and finished with a 305 for plus-20 total. Georgia College tied with Belmont Abbey College for sixth place in the 19-team field.

Smith, a senior, added one stroke to Monday's 73 to finish three-over par, taking 19th among 95 golfers, for the tournament.

Junior Bryan Fox (Roswell) and senior Patrick Garrett (Kennesaw) were tied at five-over which was good for 24th place. Fox shot rounds of 72 and 77, while Garrett got there with a 73 and 76.

Sophomore Ryan Trocchio (Norcross) came in 36th at seven-over par after rounds of 73 and 78. Junior Victor Monte (Chantilly, Va.) was in 86th place, posting an 80 and 87.

The host team, No. 5 USC Aiken, jumped from second place to take the team title at even par, a stroke ahead of No. 12 University of North Alabama. The Bobcats beat three nationally-ranked squads in No. 21 Georgia Southwestern State University, No. 22 Barton College and No. 23 Armstrong.

Armstrong's Shad Tuten took individual medalist honors at six-under after posting a pair of 69 s. Peach Belt Conference (PBC) golfers finished 1-2, as GSW's J.P. Griffin was second at five-under with a 70 and 69.

The Bobcats are back in action Monday, Oct. 1 at the Aflac/Cougar Invitational hosted by Columbus State University.

Four-man tourney Friday

CONYERS -- There's a great opportunity for local golfers to participate in a four-man scramble Friday in Conyers. The Zingara Lodge Golf Tournament will be held all day Friday at Cherokee Run Golf Club on Centennial Olympic Parkway with tee-off scheduled for 1 p.m.

The cost is $300 per team ($75 per player) and registration begins at 11 a.m. This price includes 18 holes of golf, a riding cart for each team, and lunch, which will be held before tee off at noon.

An awards presentation will follow the 18 hole tournament in the Cherokee Run clubhouse. Several other exciting events will take place, including a longest drive contest, a closest-to-pin challenge and a hole-in-one shootout for a $10,000 cash prize.

For more information, call Bice Leverett at 404-925-2215.