Top three for Keith Murphy in Myrtle Beach
Keith Murphy
Charlesland's Keith Murphy finished third as the University of South Carolina Beaufort clinched a one-shot victory in the Bash At The Beach.
The Sand Sharks edged out George Washington to top a 16-team field that included 14 NCAA Division I schools.
"I'm really proud of our men for winning the event, making it two wins in a row," USCB coach Danny Allen said. "The team did a phenomenal job playing in extremely difficult weather and handling the pressure entering the final round with the lead."
Dubliner Murphy carded rounds of 72 and 68 to share the individual lead going into the final round at The Surf Golf and Beach Club in Myrtle Beach.
But he closed with a 74, finishing with a bogey at the 18th to miss out on a playoff for the individual title by just one stroke on one-over-par.
The Sand Sharks have won two consecutive tournaments and finished second in their other event this spring – another NCAA Division I event.
"Winning any event is a great accomplishment, but winning an event against an NCAA Division I field is a special accomplishment that gives the team confidence for the rest of the spring," Allen said.
"Knowing we can compete with teams of this calibre every week is going to help us accomplish our ultimate goals of a conference championship and a national championship."
USCB entered the final round with a three-shot advantage over Jacksonville State (Ala.) and Oakland (Mich.) and held off a surge from the Colonials, who shot 289 in the final round behind individual co-champion Logan Lowe's 2-under-par 69.
Lowe tied with Fairleigh Dickinson's U Minn Woon for the overall title at even-par 213.
The Sand Sharks will take on another NCAA Division I field next week, playing in the Cape Fear National Intercollegiate in Wilmington, N.C., on Sunday and Monday.
