April 19, 2008

Florence, S.C. - The Furman men's golf team will take part in the 72nd Southern Conference Men's Golf Championship April 20-22, at the Country Club of South Carolina in Florence, S.C.

The Paladins will try to claim their 13th SoCon title and first since taking honors in 2004. Senior Ben Goforth and junior Jonathan Bowden lead Furman into the 54-hole event. Goforth paces the Paladins and ranks 10th in the Southern Conference with a 73.22 stroke average. He has claimed four top six finishes in his last six tournaments, including third at the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate and runner-up showing at the Wofford Invitational.

Furman is familiar with the Country Club of South Carolina having won the Raines Development Group Intercollegiate on the same course September 17-18. Bowden keyed Furman's charge to the title shooting one under par with rounds of 70, 75 and 70 to finish in second place.

Chattanooga is looking to secure its second-consecutive SoCon crown after winning its first league title in 20 years last season. The Mocs, currently rated fifth nationally by Golfstat, have won a school-record four tournaments this season and boast five of the top eight rated golfers in the conference.

The Southern Conference Men's Golf Championship has been played every season since 1933, aside from a four-year hiatus during World War II, and the event boasts past champions such as Arnold Palmer (1948-49) and Brad Faxon (1983).

The winner of the SoCon Championship will earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Regional.

The tournament tees off at 8:00 a.m. Sunday morning, and fans can follow the action at www.golfstatresults.com.