Contact: Harriet Laird
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State's Professional Golf Management team captured their third PGA Jones Cup Wednesday, with a final-round 5-over-par 293 and 590 total to defeat Methodist University by one stroke and 19 other teams.
The day's action, at PGA Golf Club's Wanamaker Course in Fayetteville, N.C., didn't include MSU program director and PGA professional Jeff Adkerson, who was in class on the Starkville campus when the phone call came in on a speaker phone.
"I told Jeff we got the Cup back," said Adam Scott, the program's assistant director. "It was bittersweet not to have him here."
The Bulldogs became the first PGA Golf Management University program to win three PGA Jones Cup titles, with previous championships in 2002 and 2003. The tournament is named for the late Roland S. Jones, MSU's first program director, who held the position from 1985-1997.
Adkerson said, "It was hard for me not to be there, but we were getting updates all day Tuesday and Wednesday. Everyone in the program is so excited, and I could not be prouder of these guys."
The Bulldogs were led by freshman Matt Johnson, who used three birdies on the back nine to close with a 1-over-par 73 and 144 total.
"We knew what we had to do, and we did just that," said Johnson. "We have four seniors on the team and they wanted this badly. We brought it today."
Johnson, who closed his front nine with bogeys at 6, 7 and 9, bounced back quickly with birdies on 11 and 12.
"I made a 30-footer at No. 11 and chipped in at No. 12. That helped me so much," said Johnson. "I just really started rolling putts well and they started falling."
Methodist University, which sat in a tie for second heading into the final round, closed with a 295 for a 591 total.
Along with Johnson of Little Rock, Ark., MSU team members were Jon Howell of Starkville; Mark Ledom of Leawood, Kan.; Matt Tashenberg of Mandeville, La.; and Austin Tudor of Stockbridge, Ga.
Celebrating 25 years at Mississippi State this month, the Professional Golf Management program is the second-oldest program sanctioned by the PGA. Students study a combination of golf- and business-related subjects, as well as serve a minimum of 16 months in on-course internships within the golf industry. The college curriculum provides extensive classroom studies, internship experience and player development, and provides students the opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills to succeed in the golf industry as a PGA professional.
The Jones Cup tournament, featuring all 20 schools in the PGA Golf Management University program in the U.S., included the top five players from each university. The 100-player field brought together teams from 16 states.
The event serves to provide a platform in which participants can display professionalism, integrity, character and camaraderie--all characteristics Jones instilled in PGA Golf Management students.
For more information on MSU's Jones Cup title or on MSU's Professional Golf Management program, contact Adkerson at 662-325-3161 or jadkerson@cobilan.msstate.edu.
EDITIOR'S NOTE: Final round scores, Mississippi State University, 297-293--590; Matt Johnson, 71-73--144; Jon Howell, 73-72--145; Mark Ledom, 75-71--146; Austin Tudor, 78-77--155; Matt Tashenberg, 80-86--166.