CofC Women’s Golf Team Places 3rd in Conference
The College of Charleston Women’s Golf Team placed 3rd in the 2012 Southern Conference Championship, held April 15-17 at the Moss Creek Golf Club on Hilton Head Island, SC.  The Lady Cougars shot 314-317-308 for a total of 939 (+75).  University of Tennessee at Chattanooga won the championship with a score of 921 (+57).
Leading the way for the Cougars was senior Leigh Whittaker who tied for 7th place with rounds of 75-78-80 for a total of 233 (+17).  Just one stroke back was junior Vanessa Koechli at 234 (+18), finishing in 9th place.  Kathy Boehm tied for 12th place with a 236 (+20), Anna Martin placed 19th with a 239 (+23) and Ainhoa Nogales finished with a 255 (+39).  The Individual Champion was Jordan Britt of Chattanooga with a score of 222 (+6), three shots in front of the field.
Whittaker, Boehm and Koechli were named to the 2012 SoCon All-Conference Team.  “I’m very proud of these three for earning this honor and the leaders they have become for this team,” said CofC Head Coach Jamie Futrell.  “I especially want to recognize Leigh and what she has done these last four years.  I’m happy to have Kathy and Vanessa back for another year to continue to grow this program.”

CSU Women’s Golf Team Places 4th in Conference
The Charleston Southern University’s Women’s Golf Team placed 4th at the 2012 Big South Conference Women’s Championship, held April 9-12 at the Patriot Golf Club at Grand Harbor in Ninety-Six, SC.  The Lady Bucs shot 321-309-308 for a total of 938 (+74).  Campbell University won the championship with an 890 (+26).
Leading the way for CSU was Vanessa Jay a 234 (+18), tying for 13th overall.  Just one shot behind was Viktoria Enhager who scored 235 (+19), tying for 17th.  Another shot back was Amanda D’Ostroph with a 236 (+20) placing 20th.  Also in the field for the Bucs were Katelyn Bensch with a 238 (+22) and Torey Johnson with a 245 (+29).  The Individual Champion was Brittany Henderson of Coastal Carolina University with a score of 214 (-2), seven shots in front of the field.
Junior Amanda D’Ostroph was named 2012 Big South Conference Women’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year.  D’Ostroph boasts a 4.0 GPA as a biology major.  She is a member of numerous honor organizations and helped to start CSU’s Pre-Pharmacy Association.  D’Ostroph ranks tenth in the league and leads CSU with a 77.24 stroke average.  She was also named to the 2012 All-Academic Team.

CSU Men’s Golf Team Takes 3rd in Conference
Charleston Southern University Men’s Golf Team finished their year strong with a 3rd place finish at the 2012 Big South Men’s Championship.  The Bucs shot 285-279-295 for a total of 859 (-5), finishing up just five shots behind runner-up Coastal Carolina College at 854 (-10).  The championship was held April 16-18 at The Patriot Golf Club in Ninety-Six, SC.
The Bucs were led by Jacobo Pastor, who fired scores of 72-69-69 for a total of 210 (-6) finishing in 3rd place overall.  Three CSU players finished in the top ten in conference including: Pastor, Ross Thomson with a score of 213 (-3), tying for 6th place and David Denlinger with a 215 (-1), for a 10th place finish.  Also in the field for the Bucs were Will Pieper at 223 (+7) finishing in a tie for 25th and Choo Teck Ng at 226 (+10) finishing in a tie for 30th place.
The Bucs earned several conference honors including: Coach of the Year for Head Coach Mike Wilson; All Conference Team for Pastor and Thomson; and All-Academic Team honors for Denlinger.  The 2012 season marked the 15th time since 1985 the Bucs have finished third or higher at the event.
“I’m really proud of the way the guys competed,” said Wilson.  “They played hard.  This is the best scoring year in CSU history, so I’m very pleased with the adjustments they’ve made and the work they’ve put in.”
No. 32 Liberty claimed their second consecutive title shooting 844 (-20), behind the strong play of Individual Champion Robert Karlsson with a 206 (-10).

CSU Men’s Golf Team Wins Coca-Cola Invitational
Just one week prior to the Big South Championship, the Bucs won the 24th Annual Coca-Cola Invitational, hosted by Wofford University at the Country Club of Spartanburg, SC, April 9-10.  Setting both program and tournament records with their three-round score, Head Coach Mike Wilson and the CSU Men’s Golf Team won by an impressive ten strokes.
The Bucs set a new CSU 36-hole and 54-hole record with rounds of 282-280-279 for a total of 841 (-23). The score also set a new tournament record, breaking East Tennessee State University’s mark of 847 in 2012.  The 23 under par was also a tournament and program record.  “We played some great golf this week,” said Head Coach Mike Wilson. “To have all four scores under par in the final round shows the great effort they gave.”
Jacobo Pastor, who won the tournament in 2011, took home the runner up spot in leading his team to the win.  Pastor shot 73-65-67 for a 205 (-11), just one shot behind Individual Medalist Viata Guillaume of Campbell University.  Finishing in 3rd place was Ross Thomson who carded a 208 (-8).  David Denlinger tied for 11th place with a 214 (-2).  Also in the field for CSU were Will Pieper at 220 (+4) and Choo Teck Ng at 223 (+7).

CofC Men’s Golf Team Takes 3rd in Conference
College of Charleston Men’s Golf Team finished in 3rd place at the 2012 Southern Conference Men’s Championship, which they hosted at the Daniel Island Club, on Daniel Island, SC, April 15-14.  The Cougars shot 295-298-289 for a total of 882 (+18), just two shots behind runner-up Georgia Southern at 880 (+16).  University of Tennessee at Chattanooga won the event with an 861 (-3).  The Cougars had their best finish since a runner-up finish in 2008.
Leading the way for CofC was junior Seth Stuart finishing in a tie for 10th with a 220 (+4).  Henry Smart followed close behind with a 222 (+6) finishing in a tie for 15th.  Another shot back was Neil Gowan with a 223 (+7) tying for 19th.  Also in the field for CofC were Shane Rogan finishing at 24th with a 224 (+8) and John Duke Hudson finishing in a tie for 25th at 225 (+9).  
Rogan was also named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team.  “Shane had a great first year of golf for us,” proclaimed Head Coach Mark McEntire.  “I think Shane will continue to grow in our program and build on his first year.”

Kamito Hirai Wins First College Tournament
Kamito Hirai, former Pinewood Preparatory School stand out golfer, captured his first collegiate championship at the C & F Bank Intercollegiate tournament held at Kingsmill Resort – River Course, in Williamsburg, VA, March 25-27.  Hirai is a junior playing for Winthrop University.  Hirai fired rounds of 72-70 on days one and two of the tournament, leaving him two shots behind co-leaders Jace Long of Missouri and Sebastian Backlund of Francis Marion University.  On day three Hirai surged past the leaders shooting 69, tying for the lowest round of the day with teammate Jordan Sease.  Hirai’s final score was 211 (-2), a full two shots in front of the field.  The Winthrop Eagles finished the tournament in 8th place behind the strong play of Hirai.