The LSU men’s golf team teed off to a hot start at the Carpet Capital Collegiate Classic, but a poor final round left the team with a fourth place finish.
The Tigers sent juniors Andrew Presley and Landon Lyons, sophomores Stewart Jolly and Curtis Thompson and freshman Zach Wright to the course in Rocky Face, Ga. for the three-day tournament.
The squad was swinging with precision Friday to begin the event, as Presley and Thompson led the pack for LSU, both shooting a 71 in the opening round and placing them tied for 15th out of 75 golfers.
When day one of the tournament came to a close, the Tigers found themselves in third place out of 15 teams with a 2-under par 286.
As the sun rose over the course on Saturday, the Tigers were looking up at Alabama and Georgia in the standings, but Thompson kept the Tigers in contention, following up his 1-under performance in the first round with a 70 in the second round, putting him in a tie for 11th place at the Classic. Jolly, after shooting even-par on Friday, tacked on a 1-under par performance, and Presley finished the day at even par to keep LSU within striking distance.
On the third day of tournament play, the Tigers were in a third place tie with one round remaining.
Jolly performed well Sunday, shooting for 1-under par, but his teammates were not as effective.
Thompson shot 3-over par, Wright and Lyons shot a 76 and Presley finished the round 8-over par. Overall, the team shot 10-over par for the day, leaving them tied for fourth place with Clemson.
The squad will play next in Birmingham, Ala., in the Shoal Creek Intercollegiate tournament on Sept. 24 and 25.
The women’s golf squad kicked off its 2012 campaign Sunday at the Cougar Classic in Charleston, S.C., as the Tigers sent senior Katrina Hegge, juniors Lindsay Gahm and Ali Lucas, sophomore Madelene Sagstrom and freshman Nadine Dreher to compete for the first time this season.
After the first round, LSU finds itself tied for 21st place out of 24 teams.
Sagstrom had the best performance of the five Tiger golfers, shooting a 2-over par on the first of three days of tournament play.
The tournament will last through Sept. 11.
 
____ Contact Lawrence Barreca at [email protected].