Hunter Fry closed out the final round of the Big South championship with three straight birdies and won the second individual Big South conference championship for USC Upstate golfers in the last week.

Fry’s men’s championship follows Beem Pabsimma winning the women’s conference championship last week.

Pabsimma had the lead and held it for the final two rounds while Fry had to mount a final round charge to earn the men’s title.

The Upstate senior started the final round at The Patriot near Ninety Six, SC, four shots behind Radford’s Hunter Duncan.

“I didn’t pay attention to the scoreboard,” said Fry. “I knew if he played well it would be hard to catch him so I just concentrated on what I could control,” he said.

Fry and the Upstate team started their final round almost two hours ahead of the tee time for Duncan.

With the difference in starting times, Fry hoped he could put a number on the scoreboard that might get Duncan’s attention.

“When I got to my last three holes I asked coach how I stood. I was a few shots back and I thought if I could birdie a couple of the last holes I might have a chance,” he said.

Fry did better than birdie a couple, he birdie all three of his final holes.

On the par-5 16th Fry was on in two and had an easy birdie. On the 17th hole he hit a 2-iron and wedge to 5-feet and made a second birdie.

On 18 he hit what he called a quality golf shot and sank a 15-foot birdie to complete his round.

“I was never nervous. I guess because I knew I couldn’t do anything about what he (Duncan) was doing I could just play my game,” he said.

Fry signed his scorecard for a 4-under par 67 and a 204 tournament total, and then he had to wait for almost 2-hours.

“I watched GolfStat a lot,” joked Fry. “I tried to stay ready in case there would be a playoff, but when the last group was playing the final hole I went out to watch,” he said.

When Fry finished Duncan was not the only golfer still on the course to be watched. Longwood’s Brandon Weaver made 5-birdies on the front nine holes to move into contention.

Unfortunately after posting a 31 on the front, Weaver started the back side with 3-straight bogeys to fall back.

With Fry holding the clubhouse lead and Duncan with three holes to play, the Radford golfer bogeyed two of the three to miss any chance at catching up to Fry.

Duncan suffered bogeys on the 16th and 17th holes putting the Upstate golfer into the lead and the win.

“One of my goals was to make it to a regional this year. “I’ve had a good year and winning the conference championship makes it much better,” he said.

Fry will now have to wait again, this time to find out where he will begin play in an NCAA Regional.

Regional assignments will be announced in a few weeks when all conference tournaments are completed.

Big South Scores from GolfStat http://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=player&tid=22167

Mount Olive tops North Greenville in playoff

Mount Olive golfers won their first Conference Carolina team championship in a playoff with North Greenville.

Both teams finished the 54 hole event at 7-under par to force the first playoff for a team title in the 20 year history of the competition.

College playoffs include all 5-golfers on each team with the low four scores counting on each hole.

Mount Olive’s Cade Hancock made a birdie on the first playoff hole. No other golfer on either team was able to match him and Mount Olive claimed the Conference Carolinas championship.

The battle for the individual title was just as close.

North Greenville’s Austin Duncan had a 1-shot lead going into the final round at the Cutter Creek Golf Club in Snow Hill, North Carolina.

Alberto Avila from Erskine College shot a final round 5-under par 67 to move past Duncan and his teammate Evans Lewis to win the individual title.

Duncan finished 1-shot back in second place.

Southern Wesleyan’s Ty Campbell opened the tournament with a 62, but could not add to his 10-under par total and finished in third place , 2-shots behind the winner.

Scores from GolfStat http://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=player&tid=22505