JONESBORO, Ark. – Cole Isbell collected the first top-10 finish of his budding University of Tennessee at Martin golf career as the freshman placed seventh in the field of 84 golfers at the Bubba Barnett Intercollegiate held at RidgePointe Country Club.
Hailing from Cumming, Ga., Isbell was 4-under through 13 holes after his fifth birdie of the day before finishing with a team-best 71 (-1). That capped off a 54-hole performance where he shot a 207 (-9), leading the entire tournament in eagles (two) while topping the Skyhawks in par-4 scoring (3.93, -2), par-5 scoring (4.42, -7) and pars (37).
Both Jackson Twerdahl (five birdies) and Jonathan Xoinis (three birdies) turned in even-par scorecards during today’s Round 3 while Grant Phillips (73, team-best six birdies) edged out Drew Williams (74, three birdies) for UT Martin’s final countable score.
The Skyhawks shot an even-par 288 today to finish the tournament in sixth place out of 15 teams. UT Martin’s cumulative score was an 863 (-1) as the squad led the field in eagles (three) while ranking second in par-3 scoring (2.95, -3).
Twerdahl placed 21st in the tournament with a total score of 214 (-2), topping the entire event in par-3 scoring (2.75, -3) while tapping in a team-best 16 birdies. Xoinis tallied a 218 (+2) for the tournament while Phillips (224, +8) and Williams (225, +9) were separated by just one stroke.
Additionally representing the Skyhawks as an individual was John-Gregory Wilson, who shot even-par for the second consecutive round before finishing with a 223 (+7). The freshman from Bolivar, Tenn. dialed up five birdies during today’s Round 3 action.
“I’m proud of the team shooting par or better in two of the three rounds and for the team to finish their second straight tournament under par,” UT Martin head coach Austin Swafford said. “Cole’s top-10 finish was well-deserved, he played great these past two days and only had four bogeys or worse.”
Tournament host Arkansas State (822, -42) boasted both the team and individual championships as Thomas Schmidt (197, -19) won medalist accolades.
The Skyhawks are off next week before returning to action on Oct. 14-15 at the Pinetree Intercollegiate hosted by Kennesaw State.
