Sept. 11, 2007

MONTGOMERY, Ala. ---- Senior Bulldog golfer Bobby Baird finished in fourth place at the Troy Invitational Tuesday held at Lagoon Park Golf Course in Montgomery, Ala. Samford held onto the fifth place spot after shooting 303 in the final round. The final scores for the Bulldogs were 305-304-303=912.

After two rounds on Monday, the Bulldogs were in a tie for fifth place with Nicholls State University. However, as the Samford men improved a stroke in each round, the Bulldogs would move to claim the spot alone.

"We improved each round and I'm proud of our guys for that," Samford head coach Woodie Eubanks said. "We have a very young and talented team, and I really think this we will have a great year this year."

Senior Bobby Baird, who played as an individual for Samford, shot three rounds of 74 (222) to finish in a tie at fourth place with Austin Peay's Grant Leaver. Baird jumped three spots from seventh place in the final round.

Newcomers Ian Cutting, Martin Bunt, and Chris Duffy led the Bulldog field after day one, tied at 23rd. Cutting and Bunt moved into the top 20 after round three, while Duffy just missed it. Cutting (72-79-75=226) finished in a tie at 15th and had 10 birdies throughout the tournament. Bunt (79-72-76=227) had eagle for the tournament and tied for 20th, while Duffy (76-75-77=228) shot par on 38 holes and tied at 22nd.

Senior John Turnipseed jumped nine spots in the rankings to 27th place, shooting 78 in the first two rounds and 75 in the final round, hitting par on 35 holes.. Newcomer Houston Hough rounds out the Samford playing five coming in at 49th place, shooting 80-83-80=243.

Freshman Tyler Baird, who was also playing as an individual held his spot at 46th place, shooting 77-83-81=241.

The Samford men will be back in action next week, Sept. 17-18, as they continue their fall schedule. The Bulldogs will play in the 23rd-annual Raines Development Group Intercollegiate hosted by Francis Marion University in Florence, S.C.