Sports

Smith, Darton win at home

• Darton wins its only home event of the year by 26 strokes, and Cavalier Matt Smith becomes a college medalist for the first time.

Scott Chancey

ALBANY — As a freshman at Darton College last year, Matt Smith led after a first round in Montgomery, Ala., only to slide back in the standings the next day.

On Sunday at Stonebridge Golf & Country Club, however, everything fell into place for the former Colquitt County standout. He recorded his first collegiate win, scoring an even-par 72 Sunday and finishing at 1-over 143 in the Darton College Spring Invitational at Stonebridge Golf & Country Club.

Darton, the three-time defending NJCAA Division II champion, also won the team competition in its only home meet of the spring, finishing at 10-over 586 (296-290). Georgia Southwestern was second (302-310-612), followed by Abraham Baldwin (326-318-644).

“It’s always good to win and win on your home course,” Darton coach Dale Dover said. “Georgia Southwestern has a good team and we needed the competition and I really, even though the scores didn’t reflect it, think we got better than we’ve been all year.”

The Cavaliers finish the spring regular season with three team victories in six events after winning 4-of-5 during the fall.

Darton’s Jin Chung (77-68-145) tied with fellow Cavaliers player Andy Lewis (72-73-145), who played as an individual, for second and also were named to the All-Tournament Team. They were joined by Georgia Southwestern’s Adam McKenney (71-75-146), who placed fourth, and Darton’s Chesley Gunn (72-75-147). Gunn beat teammate Evan Hanna (74-73-147), who entered as an individual, for fifth place and the All-Tournament Team’s final spot by birdieing the first playoff hole (Hanna parred).

For Smith, Sunday’s win was more a relief than a celebration “It means a lot, it takes a big weight off my shoulders for sure,” Smith said. “I’ve been waiting for that first ‘W’ for a while.”

Smith, who had three birdies and bogeys, came up big at the 13th hole after bogeying the 10th and 12th. After a 25-foot birdie putt downhill at No. 13, Smith felt momentum again.

“My train was going in the wrong direction, and that righted it,” Smith laughed.

Dover was perhaps the one person at Stonebridge happier than Smith.

“He held up well under the pressure,” Dover said. “I said the other day he’s becoming a more mature player on the golf course, and I thought he could do something like this all the time. I’m really proud of him.”

Darton’s top-seeded golfer Coleman Calhoun, however, struggled, carding a 78 after scoring 76 Saturday for a 154. He had triple bogeys on Hole Nos. 8 and 11 but rallied with three consecutive birdies from 13-15.

Georgia Southwestern coach Stan Shurling, after his team’s final match of the spring, can only look to next season.

“We had a pretty good fall, but the spring was pretty disappointing,” Shurling said. “We really didn’t have anyone play well. We had a couple of tournaments that we should have been able to win. Across the board, we didn’t have anybody play up to their potential.”

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