MSU Golfer Sakulpolphaisan Wins Sam Hall Intercollegiate

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WCBI/MSU Athletics) – Mississippi State senior Joe Sakulpolphaisan fired a 66 on Tuesday to win the Sam Hall Intercollegiate, tying a course record with his 14-under-par 199.

(HailState.com)

Sakulpolphaisan recorded seven birdies on the back nine, including the final three holes, to defeat Ole Miss’ Blake Morris by two shots and claim his first-career victory. His tournament tally came one shot shy of matching Alex Rocha’s three-round record of 198 set at the 2000 Gator Invitational.

“Joe was outstanding, and for him to get his first win was much deserved,” Bulldog head coach Clay Homan said. “He is an awesome young man, and I couldn’t be more proud of him.”

The Thailand native’s stellar showing helped the Bulldogs record the second-lowest 54-hole tournament score in program history with a 14-under-par 838.

State improved eight strokes from last season’s Sam Hall Intercollegiate, but it was déjà vu for the Dawgs as they finished runner-up for the second consecutive year, one stroke behind champion Louisiana-Lafayette.

“It was a really good start to the year by shooting 14 under in our first event,” 11-year coach Clay Homan said. “We have a special group with high character and today that showed. Although we got off to a poor start (7-over through the first nine holes), we hung in there and kept grinding. We came up one shot short, but sometimes the other guy just plays a little better.”

Fellow senior Barrett Edens picked up the best finish of his Bulldog career as well, finishing seventh with a personal-low 207 (6-under-par).

Axel Boasson, a second team All-SEC selection a year ago, had a run of six-straight Top 15 finishes halted by one shot as he tied for 16th with a 3-under-par 210.

TJ Morgan posted his best round of the tournament Tuesday, carding a 72 to finish his Bulldog debut tied for 58th at 9-over 222. Redshirt freshman Dalton Conn shot a final-round 77 to wrap his first collegiate tourney tied for 80th at 15-over 228.

Sophomore Ben Wood fired a 70 on Tuesday to claim the low score among individuals with a 3-under 210. Wood shattered his previous collegiate-low of 229 to tie for 16th place.

Homan’s squad takes its clubs to the Volunteer State Sept. 20-22, where it will be one of six SEC teams participating in the inaugural ACC/SEC Challenge.

Sam Hall Intercollegiate
Final Results
Sept. 10, 2013
Team Results
1. Louisiana-Lafayette (281+272+284=837, -15); 2. Mississippi State (281+276+281=838, -14); 3. South Alabama (276+282+285=843, -9); 4. Mercer (286+278+281=845, -7); 5. Tennessee Tech (283+284+280=847, -5); 6. Southern Miss (291+284+273=848, -4); 7. Ole Miss (287+277+291=855, +3); 8. UTSA (293+281+282=856, +4); 9. Southeastern Louisiana (287+283+289=859); 10. Sam Houston State (288+277+295=860, +8); T11. Arkansas State (295+279+292=866, +14); T11. Rice (285+287+294=866, +14); 13. Houston Baptist (291+292+285=868, +16); 14. Louisiana-Monroe (291+278+305=874, +22); 15. Jackson State (303+300+302=905, +53)

MSU Individual Results
1.       Joe Sakulpolphaisan     (65+68+66=199, -14)
T7.     Barrett Edens               (69+67+71=207, -6)
T16.   Axel Boasson               (71+67+72=210, -3)
T58.   TJ Morgan                   (76+74+72=222, +9)
T80.   Dalton Conn                 (77+74+77=228, +15)

Competing as an individual
T16.    Ben Wood                   (71+69+70=210, -3)