Written by: Chris Webb

Valdosta State’s golf team had a shaky outing Monday and Tuesday at the Aflac/Cougar Invitational their second tournament of the young season.

The week started rough for VSU on Monday with junior Alex Jones having to drop out of the first day of the event due to an apparent battle with food poisoning.
He would rejoin the team Tuesday for the third round shooting a 10-over par 81.
The Blazers shot a first round 310 (+26) and second round 297 (+13) and were caught looking up the scoreboards.
After a second round 297, the Blazers finished the first day in 16th.
Tuesdays third round saw VSU shoot a 21-over par 305 to finish the tournament 60-over par 912, finishing them in 17th place.
Last weeks top performer junior Austin McNeill had a rough outing shooting a 21-over par 234 finishing him tied for 73rd. �
Junior Wheaton Hall struggled with his ball striking as well, finishing tied for 80th with a 25-over par 238.
The Blazers had a few bright spots though, Freshman Florian Schmiedel finished up his week with 72s in the 2nd and 3rd rounds finishing tied in 40th shooting a 223.

Junior John Fordham continued his solid season so far with a fifteenth placed finish.
Fordham shot a first round even par 71 followed by two rounds of 72 (+1) for a 217 tournament total.
Through the first two tournaments he has averaged a very solid 73.5 strokes per round, lowest on the team before Schmiedel’s 74 and Jones’ 75.5.
VSU has next week off as they prepare for their trip to Santa Rosa, CA for the Sonoma State Intercollegiate tournament at the Santa Rosa Golf and Country Club October 14-15.