Gamecocks fall short at NCAA Regional
BRYAN, Texas — South Carolina was unable to get the low final round it needed Wednesday at the NCAA Bryan Regional, as it shot 295 (+7) to finish 7th at 18-over for the tournament. The Gamecocks 2017-18 season ends just shy of the program’s 21st trip to the NCCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship.
Junior Scott Stevens played lights out golf in the third round, leading the team with a bogey free 4-under 68. He made the turn at 1-under, and carded a 3-under 33 coming into the clubhouse. The Chattanooga, Tenn., native had it dialed in all round, coming up just shy on several more red number opportunities. All four of his birdies were tap ins. Stevens finished T-11th at 2-under for the tournament.
Senior Keenan Huskey posted a 2-over 74 in his final appearance as a Gamecock. The Greenville, S.C., native started the day four-over through six holes but bounced back nicely with a 2-under, bogey free finish over his final 12 holes. He finished the tournament T-35th at 6-over.
Junior Will Miles shot 75 (+3) and senior Ben Dietrich posted a 6-over 78 to complete the counting scores in the third round for Carolina. Miles made the turn at 3-over and shot even par down the stretch with two birdies in his final three holes. Dietrich, who had a trio of birdies in his final outing in Garnet and Black, finished T-40th (+7) and Miles T-57th (+11). Freshman Andrew Spiegler struggled to get it going, shooting a final round 83 (+11).
Top-seeded Texas A&M, the host school, shot its third consecutive 279 (-9) en route to a wire-to-wire victory at 27-under. No. 14 Clemson (-18), No. 11 Baylor (-7), No. 26 UCLA (+2) and No. 23 Kentucky (+10) rounded out the top-five that punched their tickets to the NCAA Championship in Stillwater, Okla. Chandler Phillips of Texas A&M earned medalist honors at 11-under after shooting a pair of 68s and a final round 69.
