March 8, 2011
Final Stats
FAYETTEVILLE, NC - Chowan's Cliff Forbes was the CIAA Southern Division Tournament's most consistent player over the course of two days, and it led to him winning for the first time this season.
The Murfreesboro, NC, junior carded a 76 in the second round on Tuesday to back up Monday's 77 to finish the two-day tournament at 153, two strokes better than Winston-Salem State's Glendon Mabe at the 6,641 yard, par-72 Stryker Golf Club in Fayetteville, NC.
"I played pretty well," said Forbes. "My short game really helped me out, and it shows that my hard work is paying off."
Forbes had just one minor stretch of inconsistency in turning in the tournament's best score - and it came at the end.
Forbes was just 6 over for the tournament through 13 holes on Tuesday, but finished with three bogeys in his last five holes to give Mabe, who had turned in his 11-over 155 about 90 minutes earlier, a chance to move up the leaderboard. But the cushion was more than enough for Forbes to hang on to the title and keep Mabe in second.
"I made it hard on myself coming, that's for sure," quipped Forbes.
Fayetteville State freshman John Cole, a native of Fayetteville who won twice in the fall to begin what is sure to be a standout career with the Broncos, bounced back from an 82 on Monday to record a 77 on Tuesday, moving him from a tie for 10th when he started the round into sole possession of third place after a two-day total of 159.
"Chipping and putting went my way today - a lot better than yesterday," said Cole.
Cole is still pleased with the way he is playing overall.
"I feel great about my game," Cole said. "I've never really been able to play very well here at Stryker, but my game's right there."
Mike Wallace, the Fayetteville State junior who made the shot of the tournament less than an hour into the first round on Monday when he aced the 265-yard par-4 second hole, finished with an 84 after his first-round 78 to place eighth overall at 162.
Other Fayetteville State scores included
Lincoln Jackson (Jr., Southern Pines, NC) (81-89-170, T17th) and Bryan Connor (Jr., Hickory, NC) (87-84-171, 19th).
Virginia State won the team portion of the event, scoring an aggregate 317 on Tuesday for a two-day total of 644. The Trojans got a huge boost from No. 5 player Brian Wood, who shot the lowest round of the tournament with a 74 on Tuesday, and had three players tie for fourth - Wood (86-74-160), Mike Swope (77-83-160) and Stephen Genchi (82-78-160).
Winston-Salem State, which was tied with VSU entering the second round, had a 326 for a score of 653. Fayetteville State was a stroke behind both VSU and WSSU entering the final round, and had a 331 for a 659 to place third.
Rounding out the standings were: Chowan (4th, 346-334-680), Livingstone (5th, 334-362-696), St. Augustine's (6th, 354-359-713), Elizabeth City State (7th, 424-376-800), Johnson C. Smith (8th, 402-447-849) and St. Paul's (9th, 488-497-985). Virginia Union did not have enough golfers to record a score.
Golfers who placed in the top four - including Winston-Salem State's Zack Sheets (78-82-160) -- made up the All-Tournament team.
