Stephen F. Austin
ASU Fall Beach Classic
SFA Sweeps Trophies at ASU Fall Beach Classic
11/4/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
2014 ASU Fall Beach Classic Final Results
GULF SHORES, Ala. – Stephen F. Austin extended its lead over the final 18 holes to capture the team title at the Arkansas State Fall Beach Classic. SFA posted a tournament-low 3-over 291 over the final round, closing out the event at 19-over 883 and defeating Arkansas Little Rock by five strokes.
It marks the first team championship for the Lumberjacks since winning the 2014 Incarnate Word James Litz Memorial back in April. It is the 55th all-time tournament win in Lumberjack program history and the seventh for SFA under head coach Trey Schroeder.
The Lumberjacks have now finished in the top-five in each of their last three events while extending their sub-300 round streak to 10-straight, dating back to the second round of the Miramont Invitational on Oct. 14.
SFA also had not one, but two golfers tie for the individual tournament championship as sophomore Baxter Ward and junior Luke Sheehan closed out the tournament with an even-par 216, thanks to Sheehan’s tournament-low 5-under 67 in round three. The duo staged a playoff hole as Ward hit a 10-foot birdie putt while Sheehan missed an eight footer, giving Ward the playoff victory.
For Ward, it is the first individual championship of his SFA career and the fourth top-10 showing, including the second in the last three tournaments after tying for third at the Jim West Intercollegiate. Ward’s even-par 216 (73-69-64) is his third-lowest 54 hole score at SFA as he has now recorded seven top-20 finishes in just a season and a half.
Sheehan also notched his first individual title and the seventh top-10 finish of his career, recording top-10 showings in each of the last three events for SFA. Sheehan fired a career-low 5-under 67 in round three (74-75-67), earning the 14th top-20 showing in a Lumberjack uniform.
Four other SFA golfers finished among the top-20 in the individual standings, led by freshman Tony Underwood who tied for 11th overall competing as an individual. Underwood posted a 9-over 225 (75-77-73), edging out junior teammate Nathan Weant’s 10-over 226 (72-76-78) as he tied for 13th individually. It was the first top-20 finish of Underwood’s career while Weant notched the third in his first season at SFA.
Two other golfers tied for 19th overall as senior Blake Pugh notched a 13-over 229 (76-77-76) along with senior Bradley Phelps (80-75-74) who competed as an individual. Pugh notched the 22nd top-20 showing of his SFA career while Phelps logged his seventh.
Sophomore Cory Brown rounded out the scoring for the Lumberjacks, just missing a top-20 showing as well tying for 23rd overall with a 15-over 231 (78-79-74).
Entering Tuesday’s final round with a three-shot lead on Arkansas-Little Rock (24-over 888), SFA held its own and extended that lead to five shots, carding a 3-over 291, which was the lowest round of the tournament. New Orleans (38-over 902) finished third with Arkansas State and Henderson State (47-over 911) tying for fourth among the eight-team field.
The victory caps a strong showing in the fall season for SFA, who closes out the first five events of the 2014-15 season with three top-five showings and a team scoring average of 291.64. Individually, SFA had six top-10 showings in the fall season and 15 top-20 performances, led by Ward and Sheehan tying for the individual championship in Gulf Shores.
2014 ASU Fall Beach Classic Final Results
| Place | Golfer | Score |
| T-1st* | Baxter Ward | 73-69-74=216 (E) |
| T-1st | Luke Sheehan | 74-75-67=216 (E) |
| T-11th | Tony Underwood | 75-77-73=225 (+9) |
| T-13th | Nathan Weant | 72-76-78=226 (+10) |
| T-19th | Blake Pugh | 76-77-76=229 (+13) |
| T-19th | Bradley Phelps | 80-75-74=229 (+13) |
| T-23rd | Cory Brown | 78-79-74=231 (+15) |
| 1st | Stephen F. Austin | 295-297-291=883 (+19) |
* - Won playoff hole to capture individual championship
Players in italics competed as individuals
-SFA-
