UAB freshman Seb Cave was the medalist and Kennesaw State took home the team title , but the big winner at the Carolina Cup was the Carolina Cup.

The third edition of the tournament proved to be a highly competitive event featuring a field of mid-major teams from as far away as North Texas to Connecticut and a good representation from the Southeast.

The field has grown as more schools find out about the quality of the course and the way the teams are treated when they visit Spartanburg.

“Our tournament field has gotten better each year,” said USC Upstate golf coach Todd Lawton, who is the tournament director. “We wanted to make this into a significant event in Spartanburg and with the help of Carolina Country Club and the community we are doing it,” he said.

The Carolina Cup is developing a reputation for quality competition on the Carolina Country Club course and some fun activities for the teams off the course.

“The golf is most important, but everyone looks forward to the trip to the BMW Performance Center. I don ‘t thin k there is another tournament offering something like it for the players.” said Lawton.

The most golfers may get from a tournament is a T-shirt, but in addition to a souvenir the teams enjoyed a party at the FR8 Yard and a putting contest with the winner getting a Happy Gilmore Hockey putter.

Tim Dunlap is the owner of the Carolina Country Club. The course which hosts part of the Korn Ferry Tour’s BMW , like the tournament continues to improve as a championship venue and he believes, with the support of the Spartanjburg community, the tournament can be a major attrraction and a succesful fund raising event.

” We are raising money for charity and Spartanburg businesses have really helped. This tournament is growing and will become even bigger, because of the support we receive from Spartanburg” said Dunlap.

Earning a strong reputation for entertaining the teams with the “extras’ and playing a course that hosts a Korn-Ferry Tour tournament, Lawton expects the Carolina Cup to attract very good teams and maybe a few from the Power-Five conferences.

“We have a very good tournament and great support, it will happen,”said Lawton

This years Carolina Cup featured a four team battle for the championship.

Going into the final round, Winthrop had a two shot lead over the field, but in the final round Kennesaw State, James Madison and UAB all passed the Eagles.

James Madison took the early clubhouse lead, but the four Kennesaw State golfers whose scores would count for the team total birdied the final hole.

Going under on the final hole made the difference as the Owls won the Carolina Cup by four shots.

UAB finished in third place with Winthrop falling to fourth.

Individually only two golfers were able to finish the tournament under par.

UAB’s Cave, a freshman from England , shot the best round of the tournament in the fiinal round. His five-under par 67 and 212 total gave him a two-shot win over Shaun Cook from Kennesaw State.

Scores from the Carolina Cup at the Carolina Country Club https://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=team&tid=28447