Co-medalist Jimmy Stanger (L) and Max McGreevy (R)
(Clyde Click/Georgia Tech Athletics Photo)
ALPHARETTA, GA (October 23, 2016) -- With scoring conditions ideal Virginia and Texas were able to come from behind on the final day of the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate and share the title. The two teams finished 8-under and one-stroke ahead of No. 18 USC and No. 11 Stanford who finished 7-under. 22nd ranked Texas A&M was fifth at 6-under.
Virginia began the day at The Golf Club of Georgia even-par before combining for an 8-under final round. The Cavaliers, ranked seventh, were led all week long by co-medalist Jimmy Stanger. Holding the lead after each of the first two rounds Stanger, a senior, rolled in a final hole birdie putt to finish tied with Oklahoma's Max McGreevy.
Stanger and McGreevy finished 9-under and two clear of Texas junior Doug Ghim who finished third. Five players shared fifth at 6-under.
The win for Stanger marked his second career victory and the third straight year that a Virginia player has won the Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate. Stanger combined rounds of 67-68-72 and during his final day even-par round he birdied three holes and bogeyed three.
UVA was also helped to their third win of the fall by top-25 finishers, junior Danny Walker (T12; -2) and freshman Luke Schaap (T24; +1). Walker had the best Virginia round of the day, firing a 5-under 67 which included an eagle-birdie start and six birdies overall.
No. 23 Texas, winners for the first time this year, moved to the top of the leaderboard with an 11-under closing day. Ghim's 7-under third place finish paced the Longhorns, however it was senior Gavin Hall's bogey-free 9-under 63 on Sunday that vaulted Texas up the standings.
Hall, who finished tied for fourth, birdied five holes on the front and four more coming home. He finished his round with a statement setting three birdies in four holes that brought him to 6-under for the week.
The 63 was the lowest round by a Texas player since since Brandon Stone fired the same number at the 2012 Carpet Capital Collegiate.
Texas junior Scottie Scheffler performed strongly as well, placing tied for 16th at 1-under.
Oklahoma's Max McGreevy finished tied for the lead with Stanger thanks to rounds of 68-69-70. On Sunday McGreevy birdied three times and bogeyed once. McGreevy bogeyed just four times throughout the event.
No. 9 Oklahoma led after each of the first two rounds but finished sixth.
"We played a pretty solid round today, but it just wasn't good enough," head coach Ryan Hybl told Oklahoma Athletics. "We finished sixth in the best event of the fall, but we only lost by three shots, and I am proud of our work this week. We need to continue to learn and grow as we move forward. (As for) Max (he) had an awesome week winning the biggest tournament of his career."
-Oklahoma, Texas and Virginia Athletics contributed to this story
ABOUT THE
Golf Club of Georgia Collegiate
The United States Collegiate Championship,
hosted by Georgia Tech, annually brings 15 of
the nation's top college teams to The Golf Club
of Georgia for a three-day, 54-hole
tournament
that has been called "the Masters of college
golf.” Started in 2006, the USCC offers PGA
Tour-type, championship conditions for the
nation's finest college players, including a
personal caddie for all three rounds. Long
pants
are required and galleries are able to walk in
the
fairways behind the players, similar to the
Walker Cup. The USCC crowns a Team
Champion
and Individual Champion and honors them on
the
perpetual mahogany, gold and crystal USCC
Trophy, which sits in The Golf Club of Georgia
lobby.
View Complete Tournament Information