Taylor Ties for Victory, 'Cats Third at Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate

Monday, February 22

Hilton Head, S.C.

All Day

Davidson College Athletics

Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate (Hosted by Francis Marion)

Jackson Taylor

Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com

Taylor Ties for Victory, 'Cats Third at Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate

2/23/2010 6:20:25 PM | Men's Golf

By: Mark Brumbaugh

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. – Davidson turned in a strong spring-season opening performance as sophomore Jackson Taylor earned his first collegiate tournament victory by shooting a two-under-par 70 in the final round of the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate on Tuesday. As a team Davidson finished third in the 17-team field behind Wake Forest and tournament host Francis Marion.

Taylor shared the victory with Wake Forest's Lee Bedford, as both shot first round 72's and second round 70's to finish at 142, two-under-par. The tournament was shortened to two rounds on the par-72, 6,828-yard Wexford Plantation course due to heavy rain and lightning on Monday.

Davidson (296+293=589) finished just six stokes behind tournament champion Wake Forest (293+290=583). The Demon Deacons, ranked 35th in the nation by Golfweek, overcame a four-stroke deficit with a final-round 290 to overtake Francis Marion, which shot a final-round 295 to finish at 584.

Taylor sat in a seven-way tie for eighth after shooting a 72 in the first round, but moved into the top slot as one of three golfers to score a 70 on the second day.

Freshman John Skeadas tied for the lead after the first day of competition with a 70, but fell into a tie for sixth (144, +2) after shooting a two-over 74 in the final round. The finish is a career best for the Savannah, Ga. native.

Junior Christopher Rollins matched his opening round 74 to place in a tie for 17th at 148. Classmate Bobby Urso improved after a difficult first day to place in a tie for 54th at 155.

The 'Cats finished ahead of four Southern Conference foes: Wofford (fourth, 297+295=592), Samford (eighth, 297+301=598), Western Carolina (10th, 305+297=602) and Elon (13th, 305+304=609).

Davidson will next compete in Taylor's hometown of Wilmington, N.C. in the Seahawk Intercollegiate hosted by UNC Wilmington.