by Ethan W. Anderson
BATON ROUGE – Jay Mendell has been named SEC Freshman of the Week, the league office announced on Thursday. The freshman has now earned SEC weekly honors five times this year.
The Lafayette native finished tied for 1st place on Tuesday in The Hootie at Bulls Bay in Awendaw, S.C. Mendell finished the final at 6-under 210 with two others. The Freshman carded two birdies in his final five holes to advance to 1-under for the day and tied for first place.
“I had no idea that it put me in the lead,” said Mendell on his birdie putt at No. 16. “I was just so focused on finishing the best I could and wasn’t worried about where I stood.”
Mendell entered a playoff with Frankie Harris and Jack Lundin to determine individual honors. Mendell came up just short of his second career win and finished T2. Mendell ended The Hootie as the best player on par-fours with a 4-under average of 3.83.
Mendell boasts a 70.28 stroke average through his 27 rounds this year for the Tigers, it’s the second best average on the team. The Freshman has finished in the top ten five times through eight placing events this year. Mendell has finished under par in six of his nine events to start his collegiate career.
LSU will conclude regular season play in Bryan, Texas as it heads to The Aggie Invitational on April 6-7 at the Traditions Club. The Tigers will open postseason play at the SEC Championships in St. Simons, Ga. on Wednesday April 24th.
GOLFER OF THE WEEK:
Jack Lundin, Missouri
Christian Castillo, Arkansas
Matthew Riedel, Vanderbilt
FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK
Jay Mendell, LSU
Jackson Koivun, Auburn