MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Georgia College & State University fired a final round 292 to cruise to a 14 stroke victory in the NCAA South Atlantic Regional which concluded play on Wednesday. USC Aiken, after making a valiant charge on Tuesday, finished in second place while Clayton State finished fourth. All three teams have earned spots in the NCAA Division II National Championship which begins May 14 in Houston, Texas.

Niclas Johannsen won the individual title for GCSU after shooting a final-round 69 to finish five-under-par in the tournament. Johannsen held off Carson-Newman’s Brad Robinson and Armstrong Atlantic State’s Chris Wolfe for the individual title. Johannsen shot 71-71-69=211 on the 7,037, par-72 Point Lake and Golf Club course which was designed by Greg Norman.

Billy Sheda finished fourth for the Bobcats with an even-par 216, including a 69 on Wednesday, while Juan Bialet was tied for sixth at 219. Francisco Bide was tied for 20th with a 226 while Joe Young fired a 240. GCSU will advance to the national championships for the third time in the last four years but have never won the regional championship. The Bobcats previous best finish in a regional was second in 2000.

Although they failed to win their sixth regional crown in seven years, USC Aiken did earn one of the three at-large spots from the Southeast/Atlantic Super Regional to the national tournament. Freshman Ashley Smith rebounded from a tough round of 81 yesterday to lead the Pacer contingent with an even-par 72 on Wednesday, finishing tied for 24th. Smith opened his final round by birdying three of his first five holes before bogeys on six and seven dropped him back to one-under-par. Playing the front side at 34, Smith bogeyed 10, 11, and 14 to move into black numbers, only to record three pars and a birdie four on 16 to conclude his tournament. Smith was three-under on the par fives for his final 18 holes.

Jeff Goff fired a final round of three-over-par 75 to finish tied for sixth at three-over-par 219, his third-straight top 10 in a Division II event. The senior All-Conference standout began the day with a birdie on the par five second hole, and did not run into trouble until a double bogey on eight. Another double on 10 dropped Goff back to three-over-par.

Clayton State edged Peach Belt Conference rival and 24th-ranked Lander by one stroke and Barton by three strokes to finish fourth. Like Tuesday’s second round, the Lakers were again sluggish throughout the final round, trailing Lander and Barton the entire time. However, junior Will Wilcox put Clayton State in striking distance with three birdies on the last five holes. He record birdies on 14, 16 and 18 to finish the round at one-under par.

From there, the Lakers had to wait as both Lander and Barton stumbled on the back nine, enabling the Clayton State to advance.

Wilcox finished fifth overall for the Regional with a two-over 218 (73-74-71). In addition, junior Jonathan Visconti finished tied for 24th overall with a 229 (75-79-75), while freshman Kevin Duncan (77-77-77) and sophomore Wade Binfield (73-80-78) each finished tied for 27th with a 231. Neil McBride rounded out the Clayton State scoring finishing 35th with a 234 (75-74-85).

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