Prosperity, S.C.----The Wingate University men’s golf team led wire-to-wire Saturday, taking the title at the Honda of Columbia Fall Classic, hosted by Newberry College at the Mid-Carolina Club (par 71, 6566 yards). Fifteen teams and 78 individuals played 36 holes in the one-day event.
 
Wingate shot 294 in the morning round and 285 in the afternoon round for a 36-hole total of 579. Tusculum College was second at 584, followed by UNC Pembroke (586), Newberry (597) and UNC Pembroke (597) to round out the top five teams. Seven South Atlantic Conference teams participated in the 2011 Honda of Columbia Fall Classic.
 
Two Bulldogs finished in top 10. Senior Randy Brill (Reidsville, N.C.) was Mr. Consistency, posting 72 in the morning and 72 in the afternoon for a two-over-par 144 and a tie for fifth place. Brill had 28 pars Saturday, only one par behind the tournament leader. Freshman newcomer Antoine Le Saux (Caudan, France) will long remember his Bulldog debut, as he posted  a 145 to finish ninth. Le Saux shot a one-under-par 70 in the afternoon round.
 
Seniors Cliff Blanquicet (Sanford, N.C.) and Braden Jackson (Dallas, N.C.) tied for 14th place at 148. Both players made significant adjustments after the first round. Blanquicet shot a 68 in the second round, equaling the best round of the day. He recorded an 80 in the morning round. A 2011 Food Lion SAC all-tournament team member, Blanquicet had a Bulldog-best seven birdies Saturday.
 
A Capital One Academic All-America® candidate, Jackson went 78-70 on his way to his 148. Wingate junior Brian Denton (Wendell, N.C.) posted scores of 74 and 76 to tie for 20th place at 150. UNC Pembroke senior Jordan Walor (Wake Forest, N.C.) was the tournament medalist with a one-under-par 141.
           
The Bulldogs made head coach Corey Iacofano a winner in his collegiate head coaching debut. “Today is one step towards our overall goals,” Iacofano says. “We talked on the van about how we need to get to work Monday (to improve). I am happy for our guys, but Monday is another day.”
 
“I thought Cliff Blanquicet showed much character today,” Iacofano says. “He put the team above self. He knew he was out of contention (for the individual title), but he displayed a positive attitude and put his team in a position to win.”
 
Wingate will participate in the Flagler College Jennison Memorial Sept. 26-27. The event will be held at the Palencia Golf Club in St. Augustine, Fla.