No. 3 Bulldogs finish 2nd

No. 3 Mississippi Gulf Coast's slow start in the first round of the Tiger Invitational cost the Bulldogs their MACCC winning streak. Meridian edged Gulf Coast by one shot at Shiloh Ridge Athletic Club in Corinth, despite the Bulldogs' 18-under second round.

The two-time defending national champion Bulldogs trailed first-round leader Jones by six shots and Meridian by three entering Tuesday. They weren't able to make up all the ground on the Eagles, suffering their first loss to a conference opponent since the 2022 MACCC Championship.

"We really played the way I expected us to today," Gulf Coast coach Brad Thornton said. "They responded really well after a very slow start. When you get to a golf course that's playing as easy and short as this one was, you can't let any opportunity go to waste, no matter how early in the tournament it is. Ultimately, that's what cost us."

Paul Hoefer shot 68 to finish third at 9-under, losing by two shots to Meridian's Ayers Mathis. He had an eagle and four birdies on the way to 4-under in the second round, playing the par-5 holes at 7-under for the two days.

"He putted really well and hit the ball off the tee really well," Thornton said. "He had a few missed opportunities with wedges and mid-irons, but he'll put that work in and get that corrected. I'm really proud of how he competed this week."

Gulf Coast laid waste to Shiloh Ridge Athletic Club in Corinth, with all six golfers shooting even-par or better. They had a combined seven bogeys and one double in the second round.

Matthew Bond (Fr., Ocean Springs/Ocean Springs) shot 66 to finish at 5-under tied for sixth. Cal Wier (Fr., Hernando/Lewisburg) shot 4-under, as did Craig Bullock (Fr., Ripley /Ripley). Jayden Owensby (Fr., Hernando/Hernando) had a non-counting 69, and Braeden Dobbs (Fr., Fulton/Itawamba AHS) shot even-par as an individual.

"Everybody had some confidence going into the first round, and Matthew was one of those guys," Thornton said. "We just couldn't get out of our own way to start Day 1. I was happy to see us get rolling and put the heat on during Day 2."

Gulf Coast plays in the Jim Redgate Invitational hosted by Meridian on Oct. 6-7. It the second MACCC regular-season event on their schedule. 

For more information on MGCCC's 12 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.