CHARLOTTE, N.C. Led by seniors Callum Macaulay and Brice Bailey, the Ole Miss men’s golf team recorded its lowest 54-hole score of the year, shooting a 286-285-287-858 to take third at the Palisades Collegiate Tuesday.

With the third-place showing, the Rebels earned their fifth top-five finish of the year in 54-hole tournament play.   The tournament featured several teams ranked in the GolfWeek Top 50, including No. 4 Lamar, No. 20 Louisville, No. 24 Charlotte, No. 38 Southeastern Louisiana, No. 42 Chattanooga and No. 49 Sam Houston State.  In fact, the Rebels finished just two strokes back of second-place Lamar.  Host Charlotte won the event with an 849.  Ole Miss beat the only other SEC team in the field, as Mississippi State came in ninth with an 878.

Macaulay recorded his best 54-hole tournament finish with the Rebels, taking home second, just two strokes behind medalist Brad Benjamin of Memphis.     Macaulay, who carded a 71-68-70209, tied with Dawie VanDerWalt of Lamar, who is ranked No. 9 in the country.  The second marks his sixth top-five finish of the year.

Bailey tied for 12^th with a career-best 54-hole tournament score of 67-73-73213.  His opening round 67 was also a career-low. 

“We equaled our best finish of the spring and shot our lowest score of the year,” head coach Ernest Ross said.  “The guys have worked really hard to improve their scores and it showed in this tournament.  We are proud of Callum for finishing second in a strong field.  He played great.  I would also like to congratulate Brice for carding his best score as a Rebel.”

The Rebels will now get ready for the SEC Championship in St. Simons Island, Ga., April 20-22.  The SEC currently boasts six teams in the GolfWeek Top 50 and three in the top 10, led by No.1 Florida.

“We have about eight days to get ready for the SEC Championship,” Ross added.  We are looking forward to going back to St. Simon’s Island and improving our performance from last year.  Our goal is to finish strong and grab a spot in the NCAA Championships.”