Georgia Tech's Andy Ogletree
The Puerto Rico Classic ended with a crowd at the top of the team and individual leaderboards. Georgia Tech and Georgia shared the team title while three players shared individual medalist honors.
Georgia Tech had the lead entering the final round, and despite a closing 5-under effort, lost ground to Georgia at Rio Mar Country Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. Georgia had an 8-under 280 in the final round, which was as good as any other team.
The Yellow Jackets built a five-stroke lead and got to 20 under on the back nine, but struggled coming home while the Bulldogs rallied. The lead changed hands twice over the final few holes.
Both teams ended the week at 16 under, and four shots ahead of Oklahoma, the next-best team.
“We played well today given the wind and rain at the end of the round,” Georgia Tech head coach Bruce Heppler said. “We didn’t putt the greens here very well, but we played well overall, and we’re happy to get out of here with a win, or at least a share of it.”
This is the 27th time Georgia Tech has played the Puerto Rico event. The team has won or shared the lead six times, and finished runner-up six more times.
The best Yellow Jacket performances came from Andy Ogletree, who was 5 under and tied for fourth, one shot out of the logjam in first. Noah Norton and Tyler Strafaci tied for seventh at 4 under.
As for Georgia, junior Trevor Phillips and freshman Trent Phillips also tied for fourth individually to lead the Bulldog charge. The brothers contributed rounds of 71 and 70 on the final day.
The victory was most notable, perhaps, for head coach Chris Haack, who got his 61st victory with the team. Haack is Georgia's all-time winningest coach and has produced at least one team winner in 19 of his 23 seasons. Georgia's last win was the 2016 NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional.
The individual title was split three ways between Clemson’s Bryson Nimmer, N.C. State’s Benjamin Shipp and Middle Tennessee’s Marcus Byrd. All three finished at 6 under.
Information from Georgia Athletics and Georgia Tech Athletics used in this report
ABOUT THE
Puerto Rico Classic
54 hole men's college tournament hosted by
Purdue University. Team (best four scores out of five
players) and individual competitions.
View Complete Tournament Information