The Georgia Southern University golf team finished third at the Samford Intercollegiate this week at Southern Conference foe Samford University’s home course.

In the first day of play, the tournament was scheduled to have two rounds, but frost delayed the start, leaving each team with about five holes left in round two.

GSU shot a 7-over-par 295 as a team and started the second round eight strokes behind the first-place Vanderbilt University. Auburn University (+3) and Furman University (+4) held the second and third spots respectively.

Sophomore Charlie Martin led the way for GSU with a 73 after firing an impressive 33 on his last nine. Sophomore Scott Wolfes, junior Will Evans and senior Blake Olson tallied 74s and all tied for the 27^th spot. Junior Hayden Anderson rounded out the group with a 76.

“We put together a fairly solid round in the morning,” head coach Larry Mays said in a news release. “We gave away a few strokes at the end but hung in there for the most part. We played a little better in the afternoon.”

“We need to finish the second round strong tomorrow morning and then fight through whatever comes our way in the afternoon,” Mays said in a news release.

Day two started with the Eagles finishing out the second round with five holes remaining because of the weather delay from the day before. The team was able to finish the second round with a 298 total, improving by a total of 11 stokes from round one.

GSU (+16) ended up finishing just 4 strokes behind second-place Vanderbilt (+12) while AU (+1) claimed the top spot after coming out strong in the final round, firing a 286. Winthrop University (+23) placed fourth and Samford (+24) rounded out the top five.

Through rough conditions, junior Will Evans finished tied for third, his career best, shooting a 70 in round two and finishing the last round of the tournament with a 72.

Two other Eagles matched Evans in the last round with a score of 72. Wolfes who was named SoCon Golfer of the Week last week, along with sophomore Charlie Martin who would go on to finish 19^th  also posted impressive late round numbers.

Anderson, who tallied a one-under-par (71) and Olson, who posted a 74, each tied for the 24^th spot

“We struggled this morning (day two) and gave some shots away, but we were able to rebound with a great round in the wind and rain to move up the leader board,” head coach Larry Mays said in a news release. “We have really played well this year in final rounds.”

The Eagles will have a week off before hosting the 34^th annual Schenkel Invitational, one of the largest recognized tournaments in the country on March 15-17 at Forest Heights Country Club.

Jackie Gutknecht contributed to this report.