Jackets Come Up 1-Stroke Shy at Watersound Invitational – Men’s Golf — Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Panama City Beach, Fla. – Looking to overcome an eight-stroke deficit and overtake the No. 1 team in the nation Tuesday, Georgia Tech came up one shot short. Ross Steelman carded the low round of the tournament, a 9-under-par 63, and Georgia Tech posted the seventh-lowest round in program history, a 21-under-par 267, but the 12^th-ranked Yellow Jackets finished in second place and a stroke behind Vanderbilt at the Watersound Invitational.

The final round became a two-team race as the Yellow Jackets played the front nine at Shark’s Tooth Golf Club 12 strokes under par and sliced the Commodores’ lead in half. Tech continued its assault on the back nine and took the lead at one point, but Vandy made just enough birdies down the stretch to escape with the victory, and on the 17^th hole carded three birdies and an eagle to shut the door on the Jackets. Tech got three birdies at 17 and two more on 18, but it was not enough.

Tech returns to action next week at the Southern Highlands Collegiate in Las Vegas, Nev.

TECH LINEUP – Though low scores were plentiful Tuesday, Steelman beat them all, recording three birdies and an eagle on the front nine, and five birdies on a bogey-free back nine to post his 63. The senior from Columbia, Mo., finished alone in seventh place individually at 10-under-par 206.

Freshman Hiroshi Tai (Singapore) carded a 5-under-par 67 for the Jackets, and senior Connor Howe (Ogden, Utah) added a 4-under-par 68, while senior Bartley Forrester (Gainesville, Ga.) and junior Christo Lamprecht (George, South Africa) pitched in with 3-under-par 69s.

Lamprecht was unsuccessful in his bid for a second tournament title this year, tying for second place at 13-under-par 203, while Tai tied for ninth at 7-under-par 209, and Forrester tied for 14^th at 4-under-par 212. Howe and sophomore Benjamin Reuter (Naarden, The Netherlands), competing as an individual, tied for 22^nd place at 214 (-2).

Tech’s team score of 267 not only was the seventh-lowest in program history, but was the best round of the tournament by six strokes. The Yellow Jackets led the tournament in total birdies with 68, and far outpaced the field in scoring on par-5 holes (-31).

Ross Steelman birdied eight holes and added an eagle for his 63 Tuesday. (photo by Ross Obley)

TEAM LEADERBOARD – Led by the nation’s top player, Gordon Sargent, who shot s 6-under-par 66, Vanderbilt nearly duplicated its round 2 score, posting a 14-under-par 274, and needed every stroke to hold…