The Bobcats traveled to Spartanburg, South Carolina, for Upstate University’s Carolina Cup, where the team finished tied for fourth place.
The Bobcats finished the first round in the lead at +7. The team was led by senior Carson Trafford, who finished one under. Trafford dominated the front nine with an impressive three birdies and six pars.
Senior Nathaniel Gray Lamont and freshman Rylan Hall both followed, finishing two over par. Gray Lamont had a solid front nine, excluding a double bogey on the second. Hall started his front nine strong, shooting one under with two birdies, six pars and a bogey, while on the back nine, he struggled, with two double bogeys, a birdie and six pars.
Falling not too far behind was senior Will Kates at four over par. He finished with a double bogey, five bogeys, nine pars and three birdies. Seniors Jack O’Donnell and Sheil Iyer rounded out the group, with O’Donnell finishing +9 and Iyer three over. Iyer had a strong front shooting even par with two birdies, two bogeys and five pars.
In the second round, the Bobcats continued their solid play, shedding two strokes and finishing at +5. O’Donnell led the way for the Bobcats, finishing one under par, highlighted by a spectacular back nine opening with back-to-back birdies, a birdie on 12, then an eagle on hole 13, a par five, before finishing with four more pars and a bogey.
Gray Lamont followed close by at one over with a strong front nine with two birdies, six pars and a bogey. One stroke back at +2 came Kates, who had a solid front nine with two bogeys and seven pars before turning it around on the back with an even round with two birdies and four pars.
Iyer came not too far behind, finishing five over with a great front nine with one birdie, six pars and two bogeys before struggling on the back with a double bogey and three bogeys. Rounding out the group was Hall at nine over with three birdies, nine bogeys and five pars.
The Bobcats came into the final round looking for their first victory of the season, but couldn’t hold on as they struggled in the final round, finishing tied for fourth at +18. O’Donnell continued his impressive play for the Bobcats, shooting one over par with another impressive back nine, shooting three under with four birdies, four pars and a bogey.
Behind him came Trafford and Kates, finishing at +5. Kates gave the Bobcats a consistent front nine with seven pars and two bogeys before picking up a costly double bogey on hole 17 and ending on a high note with a birdie on 18. Similar to Kates, Trafford shot gave the Bobcats a solid front nine with three bogeys and six pars, but struggled heading into the homestretch with a costly double bogey and bogey on holes 15 and 16.
Not too far behind at +7 came Hall, who struggled to open the front with a bogey and double bogey before settling down with five pars and a birdie, but struggled on the back with a triple bogey on the 17th. This was the deciding factor, although he finished the back nine with a solid five pars, birdie and two bogeys.
Gray Lamont opened the final round with a great front nine, shooting one over. On the back, he struggled with a triple bogey and five bogeys. Finally, Iyer rounded out the group at +7, with two birdies, three double bogeys, two bogeys and 11 pars.
Trafford led the way for the Bobcats, tying for 11th at +7, tied for eighth on average score of par 5s with 4.75, and first in pars with 39. O’Donnell followed not too far behind as O’Donnell tied for 18th at +9, being one of 12 golfers to shoot an eagle. Kates and Gray Lamont both finished tied for 23rd at +11. Kates tied for 10th with 33 pars and 14th in average score on par fours at 4.2. Gray Lamont tied for fourth on par fours at 4.03. Hall and Iyer rounded out the group tied for 33rd at +15.
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