Wake Forest University
VCU Shootout
Charlie Harrison Notches Career-Best Finish At VCU Shootout
9/27/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
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MANAKIN-SABOT, Va. - Junior Charlie Harrison posted his third-straight under-par round to finish at a career-best 6-under par at the VCU Shootout on Tuesday. Harrison and the Demon Deacons both finished the event in sixth place.
"I'm happy for Charlie," said Wake Forest head coach Jerry Haas. "He worked hard the past couple of weeks and put three good rounds together. It was also good for him to be in the hunt a little bit today and I think he learned from that."
Harrison came into the round four-shots behind the leader but would put himself in a hole early with a bogey on his first hole. But the Atlanta, Ga., native bounced-back with a birdie at the par-5 fifth and would remain even-par through the first nine holes. He then made eight pars and a birdie at No. 17 to finish with a 1-under par 71.
For the week, Harrison shot rounds of 68-71-71 and finished at 6-under par 210. That topped his previous 54-hole career-best of even-par 216 at the Irish Creek Intercollegiate last spring. Harrison made a total of 10 birdies and just four bogeys in the three rounds.
As a team, the Demon Deacons are right on the edge of breaking through. Wake opened the season with three tough rounds at the Carpet Capital a couple of weeks ago but started this week with a pair of under-par rounds on Monday. The Deacs would then finish with a third under-par round of 3-under 285 on Tuesday but Haas knows it could have been better.
"We hit the ball plenty good both days but we just didn't score well at all," said Haas. "I told the guys it was kind of like basketball where you come in with a good game plan and are shooting well, but it's the little things like free throws and setting screens that are getting us right now. The guys hit the ball well but we had too many three putts and didn't convert on the par-5s when we were there in two. But I think that will come. I told coach Dan (Walters) that we have the potential to be a pretty scary golf team when we get going."
Haas' two All-Americans Lee Bedford and Evan Beck also enjoyed decent weeks. Bedford opened with an even-par round of 72 and would finish with a 71 on Monday afternoon and a bogey-free 3-under 69 on Tuesday. That put him in a tie for 11th at 4-under par. Beck shook-off a 73 in the second round and carded a 2-under 70 on Tuesday. He finished tied for 21st at 1-under par.
"Lee and Evan both had an up-and-down tournament," Haas said. "Lee didn't strike the ball all that well but got a lot out of his rounds. Evan was the opposite. He hit the ball fairly well but just didn't take advantage of the good spots he left himself in."
Senior Justin Bryant, who played this week as an individual, and sophomore John Varol each finished tied for 53rd at 5-over par. Varol posted a final round 75 while Bryant finished with a 78.
Sophomore Thomas Birdsey got off to a decent start on Tuesday with a birdie at his fourth hole but five bogeys in a seven-hole stretch did him in as he finished with a 76. Birdsey finished the 54-hole event in a tie for 63rd at 7-over par.
Fellow sophomore Beau Cutts and freshman Brandon Ng, who both played as individuals, finished tied for 73rd and 81st, respectively. Cutts carded rounds of 72-78-76 while Ng posted scores of 75-73-82.
Virginia took control of the team race on Monday afternoon with a 15-under 273 and sealed the victory with the lowest final round of 10-under 278. The Cavaliers finished the event at 27-under par, seven shots ahead of East Carolina.
The individual race was a little closer. Iowa State's Scott Fernandez led after each of the first two rounds but ECU's Adam Stephenson made a strong final round push. Stephenson fired a 4-under 68 and took a brief lead down the stretch but Fernandez birdied his final two hole to nip Stephenson by one shot. Fernandez finished at 11-under par 205.
The Demon Deacons will have a quick turnaround as they will head back out on the road this weekend. Wake will play in the Rees Jones Invitational at the Haig Point Golf Club in Dafuskie Island, S.C., on Oct. 3-4. This will be the first time Wake Forest has competed in the event.
| Wake Forest | 287 | 284 | 285 | 856 | -8 | 6th |
| Charlie Harrison | 68 | 71 | 71 | 210 | -6 | 6th |
| Lee Bedford | 72 | 71 | 69 | 212 | -4 | t-11th |
| Evan Beck | 72 | 73 | 70 | 215 | -1 | t-21st |
| Justin Bryant # | 72 | 71 | 78 | 221 | +5 | t-53rd |
| John Varol | 75 | 71 | 75 | 221 | +5 | t-53rd |
| Thomas Birdsey | 76 | 71 | 76 | 223 | +7 | t-63rd |
| Beau Cutts # | 72 | 78 | 76 | 226 | +10 | t-73rd |
| Brandon Ng # | 75 | 73 | 82 | 230 | +14 | t-81st |
Players Mentioned
