CCU

Men's Golf Ranked 10th in Final GolfWorld/Nike Coaches' Poll

       

Men's Golf Ranked 10th in Final GolfWorld/Nike Coaches' Poll

CONWAY, S.C. -- The Coastal Carolina men's golf squad finished the regular season ranked 10th in the nation in the GolfWorld/Nike Coaches' Poll. This marks the highest final ranking ever for a Big South Conference squad.

The Chanticleers are seeded fourth at the NCAA East Regional at the Golf Club of Georgia in Alpharetta, Ga., being played May 17-19. A total of 27 teams and six individuals not on selected teams were assigned to each regional site. Ten teams and two individuals not on advancing teams will move on from each regional to the NCAA Championships, hosted by Virginia Commonwealth University, May 30-June 2, at the Gold Course at Golden Horseshoe Golf Club in Williamsburg, Virginia. Last year, Coastal tied for fifth at the NCAA Regional and tied for 15th at the NCAA Championships, falling in a team playoff to Brigham Young to move on to the NCAA Championship's final round.

Most recently, the Chanticleers posted a wire-to-wire, 23-shot victory at the 2007 PUPS Big South Conference Golf Championship, Apr. 18. The 54-hole, three-day tournament was played at Limestone Springs Golf Club (Par 72 - 6,987 Yards) in Oneonta, Ala., Apr. 16-18. It was Coastal's ninth Big South title in the last 11 years. Ranked as the top team in Region 3-North and ninth and 12th, respectively, in the nation according to the Nike/GolfWorld Coaches' Poll and GolfWeek, Coastal had previously captured the team title at the 2007 Administaff Augusta State Invitational, coming back from nine shots down in the final round and as much as 15 shots during the last 18, for a one-shot victory and successful defense of its team title. In that win at Augusta State, the Chants defeated nine 2007 NCAA Regional squads, including the East Region's No. 2 seed Clemson by 21 shots.

CCU has four All-Big South players from this year, led by senior Dustin Johnson (Myrtle Beach, S.C./Dutch Fork). Johnson continues to set the mark as he earned Big South Player of the Year and Medalist honors, is currently ranked fourth according to GolfWeek and was recently named to represent the U.S. at the Palmer Cup. Junior Zack Byrd (Calabash, N.C./Byrd Academy) was voted on the All-Big South squad along with junior Lindsay Renolds (Christina Lake, B.C./Heritage (S.C.) Academy). Freshman Sam Lyons (Little River, S.C./North Myrtle Beach) placed ninth at Big South Championships and also earned All-Big South honors for his efforts.