LAKE WORTH, Fla. – Senior Jackson Courtney carded five birdies Tuesday and played under par for the final 16 holes, while Jeremy Summerson was the top overall performer as the Towson University men's golf team opened the spring campaign at the Southern Invitational at The Falls Club of the Palm Beaches.
 
Summerson made 30 pars during the three rounds and finished 11-over par after rounds of 76-77-74.  The sophomore, who finished tied for 44^th place, had an eagle on the 517-yard first hole, his 10^th of the day.
 
Courtney, playing in his 23^rd tournament as a Towson Tiger, shot one-over par 73 during the third round. During one seven-hole stretch, he made four birdies and three pars. He finished +13 after the 54 holes.
 
Justin Griffith, who shot a team-best 74 during Monday's first round, carded a three-over par 75 today, which included an eagle on the 517-yard first hole, his 10^th of the day. The junior finished +14.
 
Playing together as a group today, Summerson, Griffith and Courtney were -5 on the opening hole.
 
"I wasn't there when it happened but apparently Jackson's third shot from the fairway almost went in, so it was almost three-for-three," Towson head coach Mike Larkin said. "Jeremy and Justin were on the green and made their eagle putts after Jackson almost holed out."
 
Goucher transfer Julian Gonzalez made three birdies and had 12 pars on Tuesday, shooting two-over par 74. He was +19 for the tournament.
 
"It was nice to see Julian get his feet wet," Larkin added. "He was injured last year, so he had been out longer than anyone else. Other than a triple-bogey on his third hole of the day, it was a really good round for him."

Brad Riley also competed for the Tigers. The sophomore made five birdies during the tournament. The Tigers finished 12th overall.

"The rust from not hitting a ball on grass since we started the semester on January 25 had an impact yesterday," Larkin said. "The guys settled in today. It is one of those situations that if we were able to play again tomorrow, things may have been more like today for the entire tournament."
 
Rick van der Nat, who is expected to be one of Towson's top players this spring, has six dates of competition to sit out before competing, so he will miss the first two tournaments of the season.
 
TOURNAMENT DETAILS 
Host: Loyola 
Location: Lake Worth, Fla. 
Dates: March 1 -2, 2021 
Course: The Falls Club – Par 72 – 6,757 yards   
 
NEXT TOURNAMENT
Towson's will be back in action at the Furman Invitational in Greenville, S.C. at the end of the month. The three-day tournament begins Friday, March 26.