MONROE, N.C. — The Tusculum Pioneers recorded a runner-up finish at the 2024 Ralph Hargett Memorial Invitational. The Pioneers posted a five-under par, 54-hole score of 859 and was one of only two teams to finish the tournament in red numbers.
The two-day, 36-hole tournament was held at the par-72, 6,818-yard Rolling Hills Country Club.
Grand Valley State, the fourth-ranked team in NCAA Division II, turned away a Tuesday charge by the Pioneers and won the 18-team event by 15 shots with a 20-under par total of 844 including a final round 284 (-4). Tusculum shoots 859 for a second straight week which is tied for the second-lowest 54-hole total in TU history.
GVSU was led by Drew Coble who edged Tusculum rookie Morgan Cain for medalist honors. Coble finished with an 11-under par total 205 including a final round 68 (-4). Cain recorded birdies on the 16th and 17th holes to tie Coble briefly. But Coble would score an eagle 3 on No. 17 to retake the lead for good and capture the individual medal.
Cain posted the lowest score in Tuesday’s final round as he matched a season-low with a 66, which including eight birdies, two bogeys and eight pars. His nine-under par 207 is his lowest 54-hole total of the season and is tied for the third-lowest three-round score in program history.
Joining Cain on the All-Tournament team from Tusculum were Cole Haygood and Blake Williams. Haygood climbed three spots up the leaderboard and finished with 73-69-72=214 (-2) to claim sole possession of fourth place. Williams ended the event in a three-way tie for fifth place with 70-72-73=215.
Host Wingate finished third in the event with 865, while Belmont Abbey claimed fourth place with 889. Hillsdale finished fifth with 890, followed by Lenoir-Rhyne (891), Indiana, Pa. (893), Carson-Newman (897), USC Beaufort, Fayetteville State (903), Wingate B (904), Catawba (904), North Greenville (906), Emmanuel (910), Wilmington (916), Post (924), Belmont Abbey B (925) and Southern New Hampshire).
Tusculum’s Dominic Barron Holden finished 29th with 71-75-77=223, while Isak Holter rounded out the scoring with 75-84-77=236 (T75th).
The Pioneers return to action next week (Mar. 25-26) as they compete at the Tennessee River Rumble in Loudon, Tennessee. That event will wrap up the regular season for Tusculum and the last tune-up before next month’s South Atlantic Conference Championship.
