Anniston native shoots season-best 67 in final round to jump 40 spots, helps USA finish T-7 at Auburn’s Tiger Invitational
AUBURN – Jacob LeCroy showed his ability to close strong in tough conditions Monday when he fired one of the best rounds of the day in the final round of Auburn’s Tiger Invitational at the RTJ Grand National course.
The Anniston native, playing No. 3 in the South Alabama golf team’s lineup, shot a season-best bogey-free 5-under-par 67 to improve 42 places in the standings and finish tied for 28th at 3-over 219. He helped the Jags finish T-7 as a team.
LeCroy’s 67 was the second-best round of the day to only tournament winner Frankie Capan III’s second straight 64 and one of the seven best rounds of the 54-hole tournament. It followed rounds of 77 and 75.
“I played well all week,” LeCroy said. “I had two doubles and one quad. Besides that, I played solid all week. There were a few mistakes and lack of execution with the bogeys and a few good birdie putts missed.
“But to close it out today at 5-under bogey-free and it being the toughest round means a lot of me. It was spitting rain on the back nine and the wind was really blowing.”
But that’s where he played his best golf. He turned in 2-under for the day, then had three birdies on the back, including one on the closing hole. He had 12 birdies in the tournament.
“I was coming off a good week in Florida (T-12 at Coral Creek Club Invitational, 70-72-71) and honestly felt I brought the same game from there to Auburn,” he said. “Just a few mistakes and I finish 3-over instead eight shots better. The doubles are going to happen, but the quad (7 on the par-3 17th in Round 1) was just a bad club pull and I was in a spot that was terrible.
“I’m disappointed in my finish, but I’m not dismayed. I know I’m close, so I just need to keep on keeping on.” [*** read more]
