Vannoy leads golf to fifth

Senior Clayton Vannoy earned a second-place finish and led the Troy men’s golf team to a tie for fifth place at the Intercollegiate at the Grove on Tuesday, Sept. 20.

The 14-team field included No. 2-ranked Georgia, which tied the Trojans in fifth place after Troy ascended three spots in the rankings in the third round. After the performance, Troy sits at No. 65 in the NCAA Division I rankings by golfstat.com.

Troy also outperformed Louisville, Memphis and North Carolina State, who are currently ranked No. 37, No. 38 and No. 40 in the nation, respectively.

Vannoy led a well-rounded team effort by the men of Troy, recording three birdies and a scorecard that was an even par for the third day. Overall, Vannoy shot a 2-under 214 in the tournament, just three shots behind Braden Thornberry of Ole Miss, who claimed the top spot in the individual rankings.

Senior Jared Bettcher supported Vannoy’s performance with a tie for 13th place, thanks to a 2-under 70 third round that brought his overall score down to a 4-over 220 in the tournament. Bettcher also finished with four birdies in the third round to help his score.

Despite falling from his 28th ranking to 35th when it was all said and done, senior Cam Norman turned in an even par in the second round. That helped his placement after a four-over 76 score in the first and third rounds.

Senior Luke Moser and sophomore Calum Masters rounded out the Trojans’ roster in the rankings, with Moser earning a 12-over 228 and Masters turning in a 13-over 229. Moser and Masters finished in ties for 54th and 62nd, respectively.

The men’s golf team will have nearly a month of rest before its next tournament starting on Monday, Oct. 17. The Trojans will face more stiff competition in the two-day Autotrader.com Collegiate Classic hosted by Georgia State in Duluth, Georgia.