RESULTS | Fripp Island Invitational complete results provided by Golfstat
 
Beaufort, S.C.----The Wingate University men's golf team finished the 2026 Golfweek Fripp Island Invitational on a high note Tuesday, carding its lowest team round of the tournament to secure a tie for 12th place at Fripp Island Ocean Point. The Bulldogs posted a four-over-par 292 in the final round, bringing their 54-hole total to 23-over-par 887.
 
Wingate improved its team score by six strokes from the second round, finishing with rounds of 297, 298 and 292. The Bulldogs were led by a spectacular three-under-par 69 from sophomore Garrison Welborn, who delivered the team's lowest round of the tournament in the final round. Sophomore Mattia D'Errico and junior Max Drott posted identical 74s, while sophomore Finn Ellis carded a 75 and sophomore Charles-Amaury Cirier finished with a 77.
 
Individual highlights from round three
 
Sophomore Garrison Welborn delivered the round of the day for Wingate, firing a three-under-par 69 to lead the Bulldogs in the final round. Welborn's performance marked a significant turnaround after he opened the tournament with a 93, followed by an even-par 72 in the second round. His final-round 69 gave him a three-round total of 234 (plus-18), finishing tied for 71st individually. Welborn's ability to rebound from a difficult opening round and finish with the team's best score highlighted his resilience throughout the tournament.
 
Sophomore Mattia D'Errico continued to lead the Bulldogs' lineup with a two-over-par 74 in the final round. After opening with a 73 and following with an even-par 72, D'Errico finished the tournament at three-over-par 219, placing him tied for 18th individually. His consistent play across all three rounds made him Wingate's top finisher and provided a dependable presence at the top of the lineup.
 
Junior Max Drott recorded a two-over-par 74 to close the tournament, bouncing back from a challenging second round. Drott opened with an impressive three-under-par 69 before carding a 78 in the Monday afternoon session. His final-round 74 brought his tournament total to 221 (plus-5), good for a tie for 31st place. Drott's opening-round performance and solid finish demonstrated his scoring potential against a competitive field.
 
Sophomore Finn Ellis posted a three-over-par 75 in the final round to finish the tournament at eight-over-par 224. Ellis opened with a 73, followed by a 76 in the second round before closing with another competitive score. His three-round total placed him tied for 45th individually as he continued to provide consistency within the Bulldogs' lineup.
 
Sophomore Charles-Amaury Cirier finished with a five-over-par 77 in the final round, improving on his two opening-round scores of 82. Cirier recorded a three-round total of 241 (plus-25), finishing 74th individually. His seven-shot improvement from the first round to the final round provided a positive finish to the tournament.
 
Fripp Island Invitational tournament recap
 
Wingate finished the 15-team leaderboard tied for 12th with Valdosta State with both programs posting 887 (plus-23) over 54 holes. The Bulldogs opened with a 297 (plus-9), followed with a 298 (plus-10) and closed with their best team round of 292 (plus-4).
 
Florida Southern claimed the team championship at 19-under-par 845, finishing ahead of Columbus State at 11-under-par 853. Lee University placed third at three-over-par 867.
 
The Bulldogs' final-round improvement was driven by Welborn's three-under-par 69 and a balanced effort from the rest of the lineup. D'Errico and Drott both carded 74s, Ellis added a 75, and Cirier closed with a 77 as Wingate delivered its strongest collective performance of the three-day event.
 
D'Errico led Wingate individually with a tie for 18th at three-over-par, while Drott finished tied for 31st at five-over-par and Ellis placed tied for 45th at eight-over-par.
 
The final round provided a strong finish for the Bulldogs, who showed resilience throughout the tournament and closed with their best team score of the week at the 2026 Golfweek Fripp Island Invitational.
 
Up next for the Bulldogs
 
The 2026 Golfweek Fripp Island Invitational concludes Wingate's fall semester schedule. The Bulldogs will play five regular season tourneys during the spring 2027 campaign. Wingate's first 2027 event is the Spring Kickoff Intercollegiate (SKI) in Florida February 8-9. South Atlantic Conference foe Lincoln Memorial hosts the annual SKI in St. Augustine.