PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – A historic season for the Charleston Southern men's golf program came to a close Wednesday, as the Buccaneers completed the third and final round of the NCAA Palm Beach Gardens Regional at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The Buccaneers placed 13th out of the 14 schools in the event, their fifth trip to the NCAA Regional in program history.

CARROLL EVENS OUT TO LEAD PACK
Ben Carroll saved his best round of the tournament for last, carding an Even-par 72 to finish in a tie for 42nd among the individuals and pace the CSU quintet. His scorecard included four more birdies, giving him nine total throughout the 54-hole event, and for the only time, a non-Eagle on No. 18.

He managed to drop in birdies on the par-5, 538-yard No. 3 on the front nine before adding three additional on the back, including the par-5, 545-yard No. 10, the par-4, 388-yard No. 13 and par-4, 434-yard No. 16. He had a birdie on No. 3 in all three trips around the course. The All-Big South Honorable Mention choice scored 11 pars Wednesday, his most of any of the three days.

ROOKIE FALLS BACK DESPITE EAGLE
All-Big South Freshman Team pick Griffin Tarver was the next Bucs player on the leaderboard, ending his first postseason experience with an 8-over 80. He was 3-over through the front nine, tallying seven pars, including four-in-a-row from No. 5 through No. 8, but saw his score climb after making the turn. It looked like a promising start, as he registered an eagle on No. 10, but five bogies and one double bogey over the next-seven holes were not favorable. He managed to post pars on No. 12 and No. 18 before his day was through.

WILLIS; LOUDIN TIE IN STANDINGS
The next-two Charleston Southern players in the individual listings ended up tied with their 54-hole score but dropped in a three-stroke difference during the final round. Ethan Willis recorded an 11-over par 83, including one birdie on the par-4, 365-yard No. 1 to begin the morning. He notched six pars before his day was over, including two stretches of consecutive holes, on No. 9 and No. 10 as well as No. 16 and No. 17.

Loudin matched his teammate with six pars but was unable to find any score under par for a hole on his way to a 14-over 86 in the third round. He split his pars evenly between the front and back nines, and like Willis again, carded the score during the back-to-back set of No. 16 and No. 17.

SMITH BIRDIES TWICE
Alan Smith was the other remaining player donning the blue and gold out on the course, registering an 18-over par 90 despite two birdies. The All-Big South Honorable Mention selection and All-Big South Academic Team member's birdies happened on No. 3 and on No. 13, and while he also mixed in six pars on the day, he was unable to overcome a forgettable closing stretch.

SEASON COMPLETE
Wednesday's action puts a wrap on the 2021-22 Charleston Southern men's golf campaign, one which featured two tournament titles (Golfweek/Any Given Tuesday Intercollegiate and Big South Championships) and the fifth NCAA Regional appearance in school history, all under the direction of first-year head coach Jordan Jeffers.

CHARLESTON SOUTHERN INDIVIDUALS
T42. Ben Carroll, +11 (77-78-72—227)
T48. Griffin Tarver, +14 (73-77-80—230)
T65. Ethan Willis, +24 (79-78-83—240)
T65. Caleb Loudin, +24 (75-79-86—240)
69. Alan Smith, +34 (83-77-90—250)

TEAM STANDINGS
1. No. 3 Vanderbilt, -20 (285-282-277—844)
2. No. 22 Florida State, -8 (297-279-280—856)
3. No. 10 Florida, -2 (294-284-284—862)
4. No. 40 USF, +12 (290-292-294—876)
5. College of Charleston, +14 (294-292-292—878)
6. No. 45 Little Rock, +25 (295-302-292—889)
7. No. 26 Purdue, +26 (305-299-286—890)
8. San Diego, +27 (303-294-294—891)
9. No. 15 Notre Dame, +32 (292-296-308—896)
10. No. 34 Nex Mexico, +38 (298-297-307—902)
11. Davidson, +39 (293-304-306—903)
12. Indiana, +46 (308-304-298—910)
13. Charleston Southern, +71 (304-310-321—935)
14. Loyola (Md.), +95 (324-315-320—959)