MYRTLE BEACH – Georgia Tech, the eighth-ranked team in the nation, shot a 7-under par 281 Sunday and finished with a 16-under par total of 848 over 54 holes to win the 17th annual General Hackler Championship, presented by Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, at The Dunes Golf & Beach Club (par 72, 7,233 yards).
The 848 team score by Georgia Tech ties for the third-best, 54-hole total in the event’s history. Texas A&M, ranked second nationally, finished runner-up by five strikes, shooting 281-290-282=853. The top five was rounded out by Virginia (859), #38 Kentucky (869) and #12 LSU (870). Coastal Carolina placed 15th with a score of 900 (298-302-300).
The Yellowjackets also had the top two individual finishers as Chris Petefish won with a score of 7-under par 209 (72-68-69) to defeat teammate Noah Norton (70-72-69=211) by two strokes. Virginia’s Andrew Orischak also tied for second, shooting 73-73-65 for his 211. The 65 by Orischak ties three others for the lowest single round at the Hacker and is the best round at a Hackler Championship played at The Dunes Club.
Coastal Carolina junior Luis Ruiz finished jumped 12 spots to tie for 26th thanks to a final-round, 2-under 70. He posted five birdies and three bogeys Sunday to give him his 11th round of par or better this season. Ruiz improved each round, shooting 75-73-70, to finish with a 54-hole score of 218.
States Fort, playing as an individual, moved up 18 spots in the final round as he carded a 1-under 71 Sunday. He tied for 59th with a total of 226 (75-80-71).
Daniel Overas (78-72-78-228), Thadd Obecny II (75-77-76=228) and Andrew Roy (72-80-76=228) tied for 68th and Morgan Deneen tied for 81st (76-81-79=236).
The Chanticleers return to action Mar. 18-19 at the annual John Hayt Invitational in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., at Sawgrass Country Club.
