EMCC places seventh at MACCC Men’s Golf Championship; Lions set to host NJCAA Gulf District Championship at Tunica National
The Lions of East Mississippi Community College placed seventh at the MACCC Men’s Golf Championship played earlier this week at Shiloh Ridge Golf Club in Corinth. The Lions now prepare to host next week’s (April 21-23) NJCAA Gulf District Men’s Golf Championship to be played at Tunica National Country Club.
CORINTH – The Lions of East Mississippi Community College placed seventh at the MACCC Men's Golf Championship played earlier this week at Shiloh Ridge Golf Club in Corinth. The Lions now prepare to host next week's (April 21-23) NJCAA Gulf District Men's Golf Championship to be played at Tunica National Country Club.
Having earned entry into the upcoming district tournament as hosts of the three-day event, the EMCC Lions finished both rounds of this week's conference championship in seventh place with Monday's opening-round 322 followed by a 319 on Tuesday.
Individually, sophomore Lorenzo Ligabue, from Italy, and freshman Pelayo Castillo Alonso, from Spain, led the way for EMCC at the MACCC Championship by finishing in a three-way tie for 26th place with a two-day total of 159. Ligabue made a five-shot improvement with his 5-over-par 77 on Tuesday to move up nine places, while Castillo Alonso opened the week with a 4-over-par 76 to stand in a six-way tie for eighth place following Monday's first round.
EMCC freshman Bryce Shivers (Prentiss, MS/Prentiss Christian School) also bettered his first-round score by five strokes with a 78 on Tuesday to climb eight spots and finish in 30th place at 161. Fellow freshman Lawson Burton (Fulton, MS/Itawamba Agricultural HS) finished in a six-way tie for 35th place at 164 (81-83).
Sophomores Brian Ludden (Hernando, MS/Hernando HS) and Trace Carpenter (Kosciusko, MS/Winona Christian School) teamed to alternately round out EMCC's scorecard this week with scores of 81 and 88 while competing in the Lions' fifth position on Tuesday and Monday, respectively.
Top-ranked Mississippi Gulf Coast (298-291—589) claimed the MACCC Men's Golf Championship for the third straight year, coming from three shots down to win by three strokes over Meridian (295-297—592). MGCCC and MCC both earned their way into the NJCAA Gulf District Championship along with Jones (302-300—602), East Central (315-296—611) and Northeast Mississippi (314-304—618).
Individually at the conference championship, Gulf Coast's Ludvig Behring (72-70—142) collected his first collegiate win to earn low medalist honors with a two-shot victory over Bruce McClung of Meridian (70-74—144).