The Emory University golf team closed out its participation at the Jekyll Island Collegiate Invitational on Sunday, ending the tourney tied for fifth place out of 30 teams. The 54-hole event was played on the 6,700-yard, par-72 Pine Lakes Course on Jekyll Island.
The Eagles shot a final-day score of two-over par 290 to finish the Invitational with a mark of 866 (288-288-290), tying them with Christopher Newport (287-287-292) and Berry College (288-294-284) on the team leader board. Taking home first-place honors was No. 9 LaGrange College with a total of five-under par 859 (286-289-284). No. 1-ranked Methodist (295-284-284) and No. 10 Rhodes (292-289-282) shared runner-up status at 863 while No. 9 Claremont-Mudd-Scripps held down fourth place with an effort of 864 (290-280-294). Emory's score represented the program's best ever for a 54-hole tournament, bettering the previous showing of 872 set at the 2012 Jekyll Island Invitational.
Freshman Stefano Butti paced the Emory contingent on Sunday, firing a one-under par 71. Sophomore Keenan Hickton, along with freshmen Anthony Muscato and Noah Apter, rounded out the team's scoring with the trio shooting one-over par 73. Sophomore Connor Yakubov carded a 75 on the final day of play.
For the tournament, Butti came through with the Eagles' best score at one-under 215 (71-73-71), with that effort tying Emory's fourth-best individual effort in program history for a 54-hole competition. Butti finished tied for 16th in the 150-player field. Hickton was right behind with an even-par 216 (71-72-73) that tied for 20th on the score board. Yakubov (72-74-75) and Apter (74-74-73) both registered scores of 221, tying for 47th, while Muscato checked in with a 224 (82-69-73).
Emory returns to action, March 28-29, when it plays at the Huntingdon College Spring Invitational in Montgomery, Alabama.