#2 Bobcat Golf Bags Sixth at Mizuno Savannah Intercollegiate

by Tyler Peck, sports information graduate assistant

SAVANNAH, Ga. - The No. 2 Georgia College & State University golf squad fired a team score of 295 in the third round today (Oct. 20) to finish at sixth place with a total of 877 at the Mizuno Savannah Intercollegiate. The Georgia College squad placed first among Division II schools and beat Peach Belt Conference (PBC) opponent Armstrong Atlantic State University by 14 strokes.

Junior Joe Young (Cochran, Ga.) finished fourth overall with 212 (-4) firing a plus-two 74 today on the 7,016-yard Savannah Quarters Country Club course designed by Greg Norman. The All-American is averaging 71.1 strokes a round this season, adding two top-five finishes and four top-10 finishes in five matches this year. 

Niclas Johansson (Skanor, Sweden) placed tied for 36th after a third-round plus-two 74. The senior shot 224 over the three rounds. The three-time All-American has averaged 72.7 strokes per 18 holes this fall for the Bobcats.

Senior Francisco Bide (Buenos Aires, Argentina) and junior Billy Shida (Berkeley Lakes, Ga.) both finished tied at 44th with total scores of 225. Bide shot plus-seven 79 in today's final round while Shida was plus-two. Bide has averaged 72.6 strokes and Shida 73.3 for the Georgia College team with both competing in all five matches this fall season.

The lowest Bobcat round came from rookie Bernardo Bide (Buenos Aires, Argentina) who shot a plus-one 73 to finish at 226 (T48). The younger Bide competed in two tournaments for Georgia College this fall and averaged 76.5 strokes per 18 holes.

Division I East Carolina University took the team title at a 12-under 852, bettering the field by 19 strokes. The Pirates' David Watkins took individual honors at 11-under. He topped host Georgia Southern University's Ryan Zabroske and Furman University's Daniel Bowden by six. GCSU's Young was one stroke behind that duo.

The Bobcat golf team had a successful fall season finishing in the top-10 in all five matches. The preseason national favorite won the first tourney of the year at the Kiawah Island Invitational and stood atop the national rankings for the majority of the semester before being dethroned by Barry University Oct. 14.

The GCSU Department of Athletics, winners of the 2008-09 PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, GCSU prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the Bobcats' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at Twitter.com username GCSUSID for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit www.GCSUBobcats.com to nominate your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GCSU Athletics Hall of Fame.