MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama junior Michael Garretson was named the Sun Belt Conference Men’s Golfer of the Year on Thursday, headlining three Jaguars who earned all-conference recognition.
Junior Tyler Klava was named first-team All-Sun Belt, and senior Lane Hulse was a second-team selection. It is the 24th consecutive year that South Alabama has had at least one all-conference men’s golfer.
Garretson
Garretson, of Acworth, Ga., led the Jaguars with nine top-20 finishes in 12 events this season, seven of them in the top 10. His 72.61 stroke average ranked second in the conference.
He was named Sun Belt Golfer of the Month for September after tying for third at the Sam Hall Intercollegiate and tying for second a week later at the Columbia Regional Preview. He also placed ninth at The Invitational at The Ocean Course and tied for ninth at the Samford Intercollegiate, helping South Alabama finish second and first, respectively, in those events.
His 6-under-par 65 and 8-under-par 205 at the Sam Hall Intercollegiate were the lowest 18-hole and 54-hole scores by a Jaguar this season. Garretson was a first-team all-conference pick for the second straight year.
Klava
Klava, of Pace, Fla., also posted a 72.61 scoring average and led the league by five-thousandths of a stroke after recording top-10 finishes in each of South Alabama’s last three events.
He tied for second at the Sun Belt Championship with a 5-under-par 211 over three rounds, including a season-low 4-under 68 in the opening round. He ranked second on the team with five top-10 finishes and seven top-20 finishes and recorded 16 rounds of par or better.
Klava is the third golfer under head coach Ben Hannan to earn All-Sun Belt honors at least three times, joining Jonny Caldwell and Jack Hiluta.
Hulse
Hulse, of Fordyce, Ark., posted a career-best 73.75 stroke average, third on the team and 14th in the conference. He had three top-10 finishes, all this spring, and five top-20 finishes in his final season.
Hulse led the Jaguars when they won at Samford, tying for second individually, and his other top-10 finishes helped South Alabama place second at both the Memphis Intercollegiate and the Sun Belt Championship. He shot a low round of 2-under 69 at the Sam Hall Intercollegiate and a career-best 3-under 213 for three rounds at the AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic in October.
Awaiting NCAA Selections
South Alabama finished in the top three six times this season and is ranked 54th in the most recent GolfStat ratings. The Jaguars will learn Monday morning whether they have received a bid to an NCAA Regional.
