Site: Bradenton Fla.
Course: The Concession Golf Club (Par 72, 7,470 yards)
Tournament: The Challenge at The Concession
HPU Team Standing: 2nd of 11 teams (302-310-300-912, +48)
Top HPU Individual: Brendan MacDougall 1st (73-71-73-217, +1)
Next HPU Round: Friday, March 13 -- at Low Country Match Play at Wescott Plantation (Summerville, S.C.)
 
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Brendan MacDougall claimed his second medalist honor of his career, winning The Challenge at The Concession on Tuesday (March 10) afternoon. The senior continued his solid play at one of the toughest courses on the collegiate circuit in windy conditions to card a third-round 73 and finished the tournament with a one-over 217.
 
As a team, High Point University men's golf finished in second place, behind 44th-ranked Southern Florida and ahead of a loaded field that included power-five foes Michigan State and Ohio State.
 
"I could not be prouder of the guys," said head coach Brady Gregor. "We played really well in the final round as a team and we tied for the best round of the day, so we did our job and made South Florida go out and win it, which they did. It was a runner-up finish in a great field and beat some power five schools that are ahead of us ranking wise and have more resources financially."
 
MacDougall, who was even heading into day two after carding a one-over 73 and one-under 71 on Monday, continued to maneuver his way around the course in tricky conditions. Teeing off from hole one, he carded two birdies within the first five holes to jump out to an early two-under round before a double bogey on the par-5 seventh and a bogey on nine put him at one-over (37) at the turn.
 
On the back nine, after a bogey on ten, the Canadian native strung together a pair of birdies and five pars to turn in a final score card of one-over 73.
 
"I could not be prouder of MacDougall, who played three rounds of near par golf knowing he was in the hunt and near the top of the leaderboard," added Gregor. "It was awesome to see his confidence down the stretch and it is something you look for out of a senior."
 
Brandon Einstein shot a team-best 72 in the third round and finished tied for third after carding a combined score of 221. Adam Hooker made the biggest jump in the field for HPU, moving up ten spots to T32 after third-round 75.
 
"Guys that didn't have the rounds that we needed yesterday came around and played exceptionally well today," said Gregor. "Brandon turned around and shot an even-par round today - it was huge for the team. Finally, Hooker shot a 75 at one of the hardest courses I've coached at. This team is just getting started and is eager to show everyone what it is made of."
 
High Point is back in action at the end of the month with the Seahawk Intercollegiate on March 29-30, hosted by UNC Wilmington.