Sept. 23, 2008

Complete Results in PDF Format

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Clinging to an eight-stroke lead at the beginning of the day, the Baylor men's golf team was able to fend off a furious rally by Ole Miss to claim the 2008 Shoal Creek Intercollegiate team title Tuesday.

Baylor shot 11-over par as a team Tuesday to finish 16-over for the tournament - two strokes ahead of No. 30 Ole Miss. The Rebels entered the final round in third place, 11 strokes behind the leading Bears. Ole Miss posted the best team performance of the final round, shooting a 2-over 290.

"I'm just glad we hung on to win it today," head coach Greg Priest said. "We struggled a bit and Ole Miss made a huge rally. However, we were able to regroup down the stretch and hold off Ole Miss.

"I am proud of the way the guys persevered today. It's a great way to start the season."

Host UAB finished third overall at 26-over par after shooting 7-over in the final round. Tulsa (+28) and East Tennessee State (+29) rounded out the top five in fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Baylor held off five preseason Top 30 teams to win their second consecutive season-opening tournament. In last season's fall opener, the Bears won the 2007 Saint Mary's College Invitational, while current BU assistant coach Wes Williams claimed the individual title.

UAB's Zack Sucher and East Tennessee State's Rhys Enoch shared the individual title, shooting a 2-under 214 for the tournament. Sucher and Enoch each carded a 69 in the second round Monday.

Returning All-Big 12 performer Colton Williams (Jacksboro, Texas) posted the Bears' highest individual performance, finishing tied for ninth at 4-over (220). Freshman Joakim Mikkelsen (Drammen, Norway), who led after the first round, finished tied for 11th with a 5-over 221.

Senior Bill Allcorn (Abilene, Texas) concluded one stroke behind Mikkelsen in 15th-place with a 6-over 222. Cody Paladino (Kensington, Conn.) finished tied for 18th after carding an 8-over 224. Sophomore transfer Austin Berkovsky (Aledo, Texas) recorded a 16-over 232 to finish tied for 44th in his Baylor debut.

Baylor returns to the links Sept. 28-30 when the Bears travel to North Falmouth, Mass., to participate in the Hartford Hawks Invitational at Ballymeade Country Club. The three-day tournament will also serve as the 2008 America Sky Men's Golf Championship for the conference's eight schools - Binghamton, Hartford, Idaho State, Northern Colorado, Texas-Pan American, Weber State, Utah Valley and Sacramento State.

SHOAL CREEK INTERCOLLEGIATE (Shoal Creek CC; Birmingham, Ala.)
Tuesday, September 23, 2008 (after final round)

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS (BAYLOR)
t9.	Colton Williams	        +4	73	73	74	220
t11.	Joakim Mikkelsen	+5	71	73	77	221
t15.	Bill Allcorn	        +6	72	73	77	222
t18.	Cody Paladino	        +8	72	81	71	224
t44.	Austin Berkovsky	+16	80	74	78	232

TEAM STANDINGS
1.	Baylor	        	+16	288	293	299	880
2.	#30 Mississippi	        +18	298	294	290	882
3.	#24 UAB	        	+26	301	294	295	890
4.	Tulsa	        	+28	300	295	297	892
5.	#14 East Tennessee St.	+29	300	296	297	893
6.	Auburn	        	+31	299	303	293	895
t7.	LSU	        	+32	301	288	307	896
	Georgia Southern	+32	305	297	294	896
9.	#17 Texas Tech	        +34	306	290	302	898
10.	North Florida	        +36	294	302	304	900
11.	#15 Wake Forest	        +42	309	295	302	906
12.	Oklahoma	        +66	317	300	313	930