BRASELTON, Ga. – The FGCU men's golf team wrapped up a 5th-place finish at the ASUN Championship on Monday from The Legends Course at Chateau Elan with a final-round 298 and three-round 893 total.
 
Making his second-straight ASUN Championship appearance, sophomore Andrew Potter signed for a final-round 74 (+2) to finish as the Eagles' low man with a 223 total and solo 18th-place finish.
 
#40 Kennesaw State held on for its second-consecutive ASUN Championship with an 863 total – just one shot better than #33 Lipscomb (864). Thanks to the best final round of the tournament with a 283, #44 Jacksonville moved up to 3rd place with an 869 total, while #35 North Florida finished two shots back in 4th place at 871.
 
Senior Casper Howells and junior Grant Renegar both finished tied for 19th overall with 225 totals following final rounds of 79 and 76, respectively. Matching Potter for FGCU's low round of the day were the Green and Blue's final two members Doug Smith and Keaton Jones as both players shot 74 and finished in a tie for 23rd (228) and 26th place (229), respectively.
 
"We fell short of our ultimate goal, but I'm pleased with the way that the guys battled," commented FGCU head coach Eric Booker. "We need to work on minimizing our mistakes, and that will be a key emphasis heading into next year. The difference between a great team and a good team is often just a stroke or two each round by each player, and we need to learn that every shot matters."
 
Potter (Naples, Fla./Community School of Naples) was even par on his round aside from the par-4 18th. He started on the 10th hole and made four birdies and four bogeys, but a double bogey on the 432-yard hole turned an even-round performance into a 2-over round.
 
Howells (London, England/Bradford College) got off to a tough start as he went out (back 9) in 43 before turning things around on the front and shooting an even-par 36. Renegar (McComb, Miss./Meridian CC/Parklane Academy), meanwhile, shot 38 on both 9s.
 
ASUN All-Freshman Team member Smith (Windermere, Fla./Olympia HS) made the turn at 1-under thanks to a birdie on the 212-yard par-3 12th, but dropped three shots coming in. Senior Jones (Kitchener, Ontario/St. Mary's HS) was steady all day as he played the opening 9 in even par, but a double bogey on the par-5 5th had him come in at 2-over par.
 
The three-round ASUN Championship – which FGCU has now finished 5th in for three-straight years – was originally scheduled to be contested over three days, but due to inclement weather expected on Tuesday, tournament officials elected on Saturday to play 36 holes on Sunday with the final round on Monday.
 
FGCU Lineup
18) Andrew Potter: 76-73-74: 223 (+7)
T-19) Casper Howells: 74-72-79: 225 (+9)
T-19) Grant Renegar: 76-73-76: 225 (+9)
T-23) Doug Smith: 75-79-74: 228 (+12)
26) Keaton Jones: 79-76-74: 229 (+13)
 
Complete Field (Golfstat Rankings)
1) #40 Kennesaw State: 285-283-295: 863 (-1)
2) #33 Lipscomb: 288-290-286: 864 (E)
3) #44 Jacksonville: 296-290-283: 869 (+5)
4) #35 North Florida: 286-292-293: 871 (+7)
5) #173 FGCU: 301-294-298: 893 (+29)
6) #240 USC Upstate: 305-304-298: 907 (+43)
7) #236 Stetson: 313-311-303: 927 (+63)
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For schedule updates, news and information, visit FGCUAthletics.com. For the latest news and behind-the-scenes access to information, photos and videos, follow @FGCU_MGolf on Twitter and @FGCU_MGolf on Instagram.
 
COACH BOOKER
FGCU is led by 3rd-year coach Eric Booker, a member of the PGA Tour and Web.com Tour (formerly the Nationwide Series) for portions of 17 years from 1990-2007. Booker finished in the top 5 three times in tournaments on the PGA Tour and also played in the U.S. Open and PGA Championship. He played in 62 career events on the PGA Tour, with his best finish being a tie for 3rd at the 1999 Honda Classic.
 
HELP THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.