MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – The West Virginia University golf team posted its lowest score of the tournament with a 298 in the final round to take 12th place at the Shoal Creek Invitational hosted by Graeme McDowell at the Shoal Creek Country Club on Tuesday in Birmingham, Alabama.

 

The Mountaineers finished with a team score of 302-301-298=901 for 37 over par. Host UAB took first with a score of 851 for 13 under par, while North Florida was second with a score of 866 (+2). GRU Augusta took third place with a score of 871 (+7).

 

UAB’s Lee Hodges won the tournament with a score of five under par, shooting 72-68-71=211.

 

“I’m very proud of these guys,” said WVU coach Sean Covich. “They did everything I asked of them to do this week. This is a great event against some of the best teams in the country on a difficult golf course. We will be a better team for having played in events like these. Now, we have a quick turnaround before N.C. State next week.”

 

Chris Williams led the team with a tie for 32nd place. Williams carded a pair of birdies in the final round, but five bogeys put him at seven over with a 79. He finished with a score of 75-69-79=223 for seven over par.

 

Max Sear and Easton Renwick tied for 35th place, finishing two strokes behind Williams at 225 for seven over par. Sear shot his best round of the tournament on Tuesday, finishing even par at 72 for a three-round score of 78-75-72-225. Renwick finished one over with a 73 in the final round, registering a combined score of 75-77-73=225.

 

Avery Schneider shot 74-80-75=229 (+13). He recorded a pair of birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey across the final 18 holes to tie for 53rd place.

 

In his first-ever collegiate event, Tristan Nicholls carded a score of 78-80-78=236 (+20) to tie for 62nd place.

 

The Mountaineers will travel to Raleigh, North Carolina, to compete in the Wolfpack Intercollegiate at Lonnie Poole Golf Club on October 5 and 6.