Clayton State Rallies to Win PBC Golf Championship

CARTHAGE, N.C. -- The Clayton State Lakers collected eight birdies on the final nine holes to rally and win the 2009 Peach Belt Conference golf championship on Tuesday at the Little River Golf Club in Carthage, N.C. Columbus State and GCSU were tied at even par entering the final nine, but neither could hold off the Lakers, who shot round-three tournament low 288 to win by four strokes. Columbus State finished second five strokes back, followed by GCSU in third, seven back. Clayton State wins their first-ever PBC golf championship.

The Lakers' Wade Binfield won the individual championship, firing a one-over-par 73 in the final round to hold off teammate Will Wilcox and UNC Pembroke freshman sensation Jordan Walor. The tournament win was the first for Binfield, who shot a tournament-low 67 in his opening round, followed by a 70 in round two on the 6,939 par-72 layout. Walor, the 2009 PBC Freshman of the Year, fired 69-72-70=211 while Wilcox, the 2009 PBC Player of the Year, shot 71-70-71 for a five-under final score.

"This is fantastic – I don’t know what else to say," said third-year Clayton State head coach Barry Harwell. "This is a big deal for these guys. We kind of set the tone last season with our runner-up finish at conference, and then this season we’ve beaten some tremendous teams – especially including the two here today (Columbus State and Georgia College).

"Everything fell into place for us this week, and we finished very strong today coming in."

Heading into Tuesday’s final round, it was shaping up to be a three-team race for the PBC championship between Clayton State, Columbus State and Georgia College. However, a struggling front nine left the Lakers six strokes behind both teams with eight holes remaining. But Clayton State made its move late with the late birdies.

Wilcox and Jordan Tyler Massey both started the rally as each recorded a birdie on the Par 5 11th hole, and Massey and Binfield both followed with birdies on the Par 3 13th. Binfield, who had a two-stroke lead entering the final round, struggled on the front nine with four bogeys on the first 10 holes. But his birdies on No. 13 and the Par 4 15th hole put him back in a tie for first with Walor, who had just finished his round.

Wilcox made a late rally by finishing his rounds with impressive birdies on the Par 5 17th and the Par 4 18th holes to make it a three-way tie between himself, Binfieldand Walor. However, Binfield picked up a key birdie on the tricky Par 3 16th hole and recorded pars on the final two holes to seal the title.

USC Aiken finished fourth at 888 while Lander was fifth, Armstrong Atlantic State 6th, Georgia Southwestern 7th and UNC Pembroke 8th. Clayton State now earns the PBC's automatic bid to the NCAA Southeast Regionals, which will be held in May.

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