Nov. 3, 2009

SAPPHIRE, N.C. - The Samford men's golf team closed out play in its 2009 fall season Tuesday as the Bulldogs carded a 36-hole score of 583 (291-292) at the Hummingbird Intercollegiate. The tournament was hosted by Western Carolina University at the Country Club of Sapphire Valley. Samford concluded the two-day competition in a tie for 13th place.

"Our guys played better this week and I'm really optimistic about the promise they are showing," said Samford head coach Woodie Eubanks. "We've been playing four freshmen all this season and they are really starting to get acclimated to the college level. I know that we have a young team, but if we continue to practice hard and get better, I think that we can be a very competitive team in the spring."

Samford was paced at the 2009 Hummingbird Intercollegiate by junior Martin Bunt. The Bulldogs' native of Pensacola, Fla., finished the 36-hole event with a team-best score of 144 (71-73). Bunt placed 28th out of 101 competitors at the prestigious regional competition.

Bunt proved to be Samford's lone non-freshman in its starting five. He was followed this week by Bill Nabors, Drew Aimone, Gabe Hyde and Casey O'Toole.

Nabors, the Bulldogs' highly-touted freshman from Decatur, Ala., carded a two-round score of 145 (68-77), while Aimone followed with a 149 (74-75). Samford's remaining two players of its groundbreaking 2009-10 freshman class, Hyde and O'Toole, also turned in solid scores at the Hummingbird Intercollegiate. Hyde posted a 36-hole mark of 150 (78-72), while O'Toole fired a 153 (81-72).

Hyde and O'Toole tallied Samford's best scores Tuesday. Both true freshmen carded marks of even-par 72 at the Country Club of Sapphire Valley.

For the team title of the tournament, Furman erased a six-stroke lead over the final six holes to rally past Kentucky to win the 2009 Hummingbird Intercollegiate. First-round leader Garland Ferrell helped lead the Paladin charge, carding three birdies on the back nine and eagled the par-5, 482-yard 14th hole for a second-consecutive day to win the individual medalist honors.

Ferrell carded rounds of 67 and 68 for a two-day total of 135 to win by two strokes over Akron's Lucas Murray at 137. David Watkins of East Carolina finished third, three strokes off the pace at 138.

Furman finished with a 285 on Tuesday for a 36-hole score of 567 to edge Kentucky (570) by three strokes. The Wildcats slipped into a two-way tie with East Carolina after the Pirates turned in a closing round 280. Chattanooga, ranked 30th in the nation according to GolfStat, was the biggest gainer over the final 18, moving from 18th-place to eighth overall by turning in a six-under, 278, the low round of this year's tournament.