The Bob Jones University Bruins golf team struggled as they began their official Spring season at the Columbia College Invite where they finished sixth out of ten competing teams. 

"We didn't really rise to meet the challenge the golf course presented to us," said Head Coach Dennis Scott. "This was our first competitive stroke play event of the Spring season, and we didn't have our "A" game. We had an unusual number of big numbers (double bogeys or higher) in round one. Although we reduced that number in round two, we still slid down the leaderboard. We always set a goal to move up the leaderboard in the second round so that was disappointing."

From the Timberlake Country Club off of Lake Murray, Brayden Joyner was the first Bruin off the tee on Monday. He had a good start with five straight pars to open his game.

Dakota Holt recorded the first birdie of the tournament for Bob Jones on the par-four 11th hole. Back-to-back birdies by Holt at the 11th and 12th holes brought him to two under par early in the opening round and assisted the team in a tie for third place. 

Several more birdies by Peter Zhong and Brandon Autry helped put the Bruins in a good position at the turn. 

The Bruins wrapped up the first round with a team score of 328 for fifth place right behind Indiana Tech. Autry led the Bruins with a score of 79 followed closed by Grant Camfield with an opening round total of 80. Holt finished with a score of 83, Zhong with 86, Joyner saw 90, and Eli DeVaughn wrapped up day one with 97. 

It was a slow start on Tuesday as the Bruins put up several big numbers early in the second round. 

Autry put up the first birdie of the day on the seventh hole to sit +1 through three holes. After his first nine, he sat even par to lead the Bruins. 

The team continued to struggle and after round two, the Bruins finished sixth overall. Autry was the sole Bruin to finish in the top ten individually with a two day total of 79-76=155.

Following the tournament, Coach Scott said this of his team's performance. "We can chalk this up to experience, but we have to get better. Physically, I think we have had solid preparation for this Spring season but mentally we need to be stronger in order to deal with the challenges and adversities of golf. It is such a great game and experiences like this help us to prepare for the disappointments and adversities we face in life."

Full results from the Columbia College Invite can be found here. 

Up next, the Bruins travel to Gainesville, Georgia next week to compete at the Golden Tiger Collegiate Invitational.