OANGEBURG, SC – South Carolina State freshman Roberto Cacho carded a 36-hole 2-under par total of (72-70) 142 to earn medalist honors and help his team to a second-place finish in the 7th annual Bulldog Golf Classic, which concluded Sunday at the Hillcrest Golf Course.
In a triangular match played in conjunction with the tournament, the SC State women were second behind Hampton, while Savannah State was third.
Coach Herman Belton's Bulldogs carded a 36-hole total of (300-301) 601 in finishing as runner-ups in the event.
Houston Baptist, which had three performers in the top five, captured the tournament title with a team total of (295-284) 579. Trailing Houston Baptist and SC State in the seven-team field was North Carolina Central in third with a (308-312) 620.
Savannah State was fourth at (314-307), one stroke back at 621, followed by St. Augustine's at (317-310) at 627, Hampton at (328-317) 645 and Winston-Salem State at (335-338) 673.
Houston Baptist was led by Jordan Jeffers and Ian Armstrong, who tied for second behind Cacho in the individual standings, both with a 36-hole total of 143. The two had identical scores of (73-70). The Huskies' Mark Slater was fourth with a (75-70) 145.
For SC State, Cacho was followed by another freshman, Alejandro Bernardini, with a (75-76) 151, Hector Arroyave with a (77-76) 143 and Robert Biggers at (76-79) 155. Also competing for Belton's team was walk-on Byron Bush, who carded a (96-94) 190.
Belton, in his first season as the coach of the SC State men, noted that the Bulldogs have had a solid year.
“We've had a pretty good building year,” Belton said of his team, which has captured two titles and been runner-ups twice in seven events. “It's good to see the new players coming in and setting the bar for what's to come.”
He lauded the play of Cacho, who has finished in the top five in each of the events he has participated in.
“Roberto is a very solid player,” Belton said. “He has performed well all season, has not finished out of the top five in any event and is a great young man to coach.”
The Bulldogs return to action PGA Minority Golf Championship at Port St. Lucie, FL May 8-10.
The SC State women carded a two-day total of (370-357) 727 in the women's competition. First-place Hampton had a (342-333) 675, while Savannah State was at (487-479) 966.
Geneva Mackey finished third in the women's individual competition with a 36-hole total of (84-82). The Lady Bulldogs' Honesty Biggers was fifth at (87-90) 177. Also in the field for the SC State women were Addi McLaren, who carded a (91-87) 178 and Danielle Williams who was at (108-98) 206.
Hampton's Iman Ellis won the women's individual competition with a (81-79) 160 and was followed by teammate Sydnee Mauk at (84-80) at 164.
The SC State women resume their schedule Apr. 23 in a dual match with Hampton at Atlanta, Ga.
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