2018 Sun Belt Championships / Finals Results
SANDESTIN, Fla. – The ULM trio
Joao Girao,
Max Catherine and
Guillaume Fanonnel garnered Top-20 finishes in the 2018 Sun Belt Men's Golf Championships as the third round concluded on Tuesday afternoon (April 24) at Raven Golf Club in Sandestin, Fla.
The individual performances helped ULM place fifth as a team in the season's final event, with a combined score of 26-over-par 878 (300-289-289). Coastal Carolina (294-275-276 – 845; -7), UT Arlington (295-293-283 – 283; +19), Georgia Southern (298-288-285 – 871; +19) and South Alabama (295-298-281 – 874; +22) advanced to Tuesday's match play to determine the conference champion.
Girao was the top individual finisher on the ULM scorecard with a 1-over-par score of 214 (70-69-75), finishing in a three-way tie for sixth. After back-to-back pars on the first two holes, Girao posted a double bogey at three before four bogeys in his next six holes and left him at 5-over-par through nine.
Girao responded with a par at 10 and after a bogey at 11 moved him 6-over-par, the ULM sophomore tallied three-straight birdies to trim three strokes off his scorecard. His final four holes included three pars and bogey as he completed the third round at 4-over-par.
"In the end it was just too many big numbers for the Warhawks," ULM head coach
Tim Baldwin said. "We missed match play by four strokes overall and finished fifth. The guys are gutted as we had plenty of opportunities to get it done but unfortunately fell just short.
"I'm very happy for Joao, Max and Guillaume," Baldwin added. "They competed hard this week and hopefully get recognized by being selected all-conference this year. Max is the top freshman in the conference this year, so our prospects look good for the future. The ninth hole ate our lunch this year, so we are going to have to figure out a better way to manage that hole in the future if we expect to advance."
Catherine wrapped up the conference tournament in a five-way tie for ninth with a score of 2-over-par 215 (74-71-70). His day began with five-straight pars before a trio of birdies moved him to 3-under par through eight.
A bogey and a triple bogey among his next three holes reversed his fortunes as he stood at 1-over-par through 11. Catherine regained his stride with birdies at the 12th, 14th and 15th holes, again moving into negative numbers, closing the afternoon at 1-under after a bogey at 16.
Fanonnel was not only responsible for the lowest ULM score of the day (68), but he also made the Warhawks' biggest jump on the leaderboard, climbing 10 spots as he closed the round at 3-under-par. He finished tied for 17th in the individual standings at 6-over-par 219 (78-73-68). Fanonnel opened play with a birdie at the first hole and followed with four-straight pars before notching his second birdie of the first round at the sixth hole.
His only bogey of the day came at the ninth hole, but Fanonnel quickly removed that score with a series of birdies at the 12th and 14th holes, moving to 2-under-par. He closed out the final four holes of the day with three pars and a birdie (17th) to finish with a 33 on the back nine.
Hogan Arey ended the Sun Belt Championships with a score of 18-over-par 231 (79-78-80), tied for 55th. Arey's day began with a bogey, but he moved back to even with a birdie at three before enduring a double bogey and a quadruple bogey in the next six holes to wrap up the front nine at 6-over-par.
Arey regained his composure with a par at 10th green, but a bogey on the following hole stretched his score to 7-over-par. He would finish out the final seven holes with five pars and two birdies (14th and 16th) and was 1-under-par on the back nine.
Thibault Santigny completed the ULM scorecard with a 23-over-par score of 236 (78-76-76), good for 59th place. His front nine included three bogeys, one birdie and one double bogey as he closed at 4-over-par.
Santigny's misfortunes continued on the back nine as he endured three bogeys and a double bogey in his first five holes. He closed out the back nine with four pars to finish at 5-over-par for the third round.
ULM Scorecard (Final Results)
