BURLINGTON, Iowa – Charleston Southern climbed one spot with a final round 7-under to finish fifth as a team at the 2015 Golfweek Conference Challenge, which wrapped up Sunday at Spirit Hollow Golf Club. Junior Austin James had a career-best finish, taking third at 8-under par for the weekend.
Iowa won the event, finishing 22-under as a team to win by three over North Carolina State. Idaho (-18), Kansas State (-12) and the Buccaneers, who finished at 9-under, round out the top five. CSU finished two strokes ahead of SMU and six in front of Long Beach State.
Iowa's Raymond Knoll and Kansas State's Jeremy Gandon finished tied for medalist honors at 11-under.
CSU had 18 birdies and an eagle as a team to put together a team-281 (-7). James had four birdies in his round of 70 (-2) to push his total for the week to 8-under, three off the pace.
"Today was an awesome finish by the team," CSU Director of Golf Mike Wilson said Sunday afternoon. "We talked last night about playing a complete round. The guys were really committed to competing to the end. They came with fireworks to finish off the round. We know we can play with anybody in the country."
Sophomore Jake Ezell put together the Bucs' best round of the day. He had five birdies and was 2-under on the back nine to finish with a 3-under 69 and tie for 67th.
R.J Keur had another solid round with three birdies in a 2-under 70. He finished tied for 18th after three birdies on the front night, part of a 34.
Senior Taylor Zoeller finished with a flurry to get his round back to even and shoot 72. A birdie and a late eagle helped the senior finish 27th after a few early bogeys dug a hole.
Senior Nico Baena added a 77 (+5) and tied for 70th.
CSU returns to action Oct. 19-20 at the Elon Phoenix Invitational, played at Alamance Country Club.
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