Rocky Mount, N.C. - N.C. Wesleyan's golf team hosted its annual Don Scalf Invitational on Sunday and Monday, finishing second among four teams competing at the Belmont Lake Golf Club.
Sophomore Ben Gillon continued his solid start to the season with a second-straight runner-up finish. His day-one 68 topped the leaderboard entering the final round, but Piedmont's Joseph Morris' par-72 on Monday bested Gillon by two strokes to give him a one-stroke tourney win with a 3-under 141.
NCWC junior Pearce Parsons competed individually and earned a top-five finish at +7 with rounds of 77 and 74. He was joined in the top-ten by teammates Grady Anderson in 6th (74-78, +8), David White in 7th (77-77, +10) and Matthew May in 10th (81-76, +13).
Bishop freshmen Alexander Kidd and Collin Richardson also competed as individuals, with Kidd's day-one 79 topping their four rounds.
Piedmont grabbed three of the top five spots among the 25-man field to secure the championship. The Lions carded team scores of 292 and 297 to beat out the host Bishops by 16 strokes. NCWC turned in rounds of 300 and 305.
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Named for Wesleyan icon Don Scalf, the traditional spring event was moved to the Bishops' fall slate in 2015. Scalf taught for 36 years, coached for 18 years and served as Athletics Director for six years at NCWC. During his coaching career, Scalf's teams won Conference championships in basketball (1966) and golf (1970, 1971, 1972, 1973), earning him Conference Coach of the Year honors on four occasions.
In addition to his role as the first coach in both Bishop basketball and golf history, he also served as head coach for the College's inaugural women's volleyball team in 1974. In fact, NCWC's "Scalf Field" for soccer/lacrosse and "Don Scalf Court" for basketball/volleyball are named in honor of his dedication to Battling Bishop athletics.
A founding father of the USA South (then the Dixie Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) in 1963, Scalf served as its Secretary-Treasurer for 25 years. His commitment to the student-athlete, guardianship of the value of academic achievement and devotion to the principles of Division III athletics set a standard that holds steadfast in the Conference today. For this reason, the conference presents its prestigious Don Scalf Award to one deserving male and female student-athlete on a yearly basis.
Most recently in 2010, Coach Scalf earned recognition in the USA South's inaugural Hall of Fame class, and the Bishops' annual Don Scalf Invitational continues to be a highlight for Wesleyan's golf program.
The Bishops will now prepare for a dual match versus Mid-Atlantic Christian University on October 1st, which will also be played at Rocky Mount's Belmont Lake Golf Club.