BADIN, N.C.--With all five golfers finishing in the top 20 of the 125-player field, the USC Aiken golf team ran away with the Johnny Palmer/Old North State Intercollegiate title by 14 strokes over Coker College and the rest of the 24-team field. Dating back to last year’s postseason, USCA, the defending NCAA Division II champions, have won four consecutive tournaments, two short of tying the school and Peach Belt Conference mark of six set in 1995.

The 36-hole event was contested at the 7,102 yard, par 72 Old North State Golf Club in Badin, N.C. USCA, ranked preseason number one in Division II according to Golfweek, also won this event in 2002.

Josh Coley of Lee University was the wire-to-wire individual medalist. Following an opening round two-under-par 70, Coley carded an even-par 72 to finish four shots ahead of USCA’s Dane Burkhart.

Burkhart recorded a three-over-par 75 on Tuesday to finish at two-over-par 146 for the tournament and take sole possession of second place.

Scott Brown was just one shot back of Burkhart after a one-over-par 73 on Tuesday to finish in third place.

Two weeks after tying Brown for medalist honors in the season opening tournament at Kiawah Island, James Browning tied for 12th with a two-day total of eight-over-par 152. He entered the day in 44th place, but a one-over-par 73 helped the freshman from Edinburgh, Scotland climb the leaderboard.

Newcomers Casey Thompson and Tyler Rolley finished tied with six other golfers in 19th position at nine-over-par. Thompson carded a 78 while Rolley turned in a 74 on the final day.

Coker (+32) finished in second place followed by Lee University (+33), Pfeiffer (+36), and Tusculum (+38) rounded out the top five.

USC Aiken will next compete in the Cougar Invitational hosted by Columbus State on October 4-5.

JOHNNY PALMER/OLD NORTH STATE INTERCOLLEGIATE
OLD NORTH STATE G.C. BADIN, NC
PAR: 72 YARDAGE: 7,102 DATES: SEPTEMBER 20-21

TEAM RESULTS
1 USC Aiken...........................299 295 594 +18
2 Coker.....................................309 299 608 +32
3 Lee University.......................311 298 609 +33
4 Pfeiffer..................................310 302 612 +36
5 Tusculum...............................314 300 614 +38
6 UNC Pembroke......................312 303 615 +39
7 North Greenville....................309 312 621 +45
8 Nova Southeastern...............312 311 623 +47
9 Saint Andrews......................321 304 625 +49
Presbyterian.............................316 309 625 +49
11 Queens (NC).......................307 320 627 +51
12 Carson-Newman.................318 311 629 +53
Guilford....................................309 320 629 +53
14 Barton.................................317 316 633 +57
15 St. Thomas Aquinas...........324 311 635 +59
16 Anderson............................325 312 637 +61
Wingate....................................316 321 637 +61
18 Mount Olive.........................324 315 639 +63
19 Charleston (WV).................320 320 640 +64
20 Catawba.............................314 330 644 +68
21 Newberry............................322 325 647 +71
22 Lenoir-Rhyne.......................331 323 654 +78
23 Pfeiffer “B”...........................335 321 656 +80
24 Lees-McRae.........................333 325 658 +82

USCA INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (+18) (1st)
Dane Burkhart...................71 75 146 +2 (2nd)
Scott Brown.....................74 73 147 +3 (3rd)
James Browning...............79 73 152 +8 (T-12th)
Casey Thompson..............75 78 153 +9 (T-19th)
Tyler Rolley.......................79 74 153 +9 (T-19th)

INDIVIDUAL WINNER
Josh Coley, Lee Univ............70 72 142 -2 (1st)