After a rough start, the Georgia Southern University golf team climbed up the leader board to finish fifth in the Mason Rudolph Championship over the weekend.

The tournament was hosted by Vanderbilt University at the Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tennessee.

The Eagles got off to a slow start posting a score of 289 (+5) in the first-round however, that score was good enough to tie for fifth with Georgia State.

In the second-round, the Eagles slipped to eighth after shooting a 293 (+9).

The Eagles saved their best round for last shooting a 282 (-2) and bringing their total score for the tournament to 864 (+12)

“The team all got off to good starts and we maintained it through the round,” Assistant Coach Carter Collins said. “We had four good scores in the last round and that is what we want each round.”

Throughout the tournament, the Eagles were powered by the solid performances of sophomores Charlie Martin and Scott Wolfes.

“Both played great,” Collins said. “Charlie was more steady and Scott scored well.”

Martin displayed consistency from the opening hole of the tournament. He finished fifth at four shots under par and posted scores of 68, 72 and 69 in the three rounds.

Wolfes looked to follow up his individual title win at Kiawah earlier this month with another impressive showing in Tennessee. Wolfes finished the tournament ninth at one under par after posting scores of 69, 74 and 69.

Along with the Eagles and VU, the field included 13 other teams from various conferences. Arkansas State University, College of Charleston, Davidson College, East Tennessee State University, Georgia State University, Middle Tennessee State Universtiy, University of Mississippi, Mississippi State University, University of Oklahoma, Rice University, University of South Alabama, Tennessee Tech University and University of Virginia rounded out the field.

Every tournament serves as a learning experience and provides the team with things to improve upon for future tournaments.

“We just need more consistency from top to bottom,” Head Coach Larry Mays said. “We have a young team with two freshman, two sophomores and a junior playing this week.”

“Short game is something we can always improve on,” Collins said. “It was our weakness last week but our strength this week.”

The Eagles will attempt to get their first team win of the season next month as Georgia State hosts the AutoTrader Collegiate Classic in Duluth, GA at the Berkeley Hills Country Club.