A Half-decade of Triumphs and Tenacity
Georgia Southern Men’s Golf Says Farewell to One of Its Most Remarkable Classes
In the history of Georgia Southern Men’s Golf, few teams have demonstrated the consistent excellence, dedication and skill than the Eagles roster of the last five years. Led by an exceptional group of fifth-year seniors, the team has reached historic milestones for the program, and is already building a future without them.
“I’ve been lucky to be a part of some really good teams and have some exceptional coaches, so I feel blessed to have ended up where I did,” said Ben Carr, who capped his collegiate career as a 2022 U.S. Amateur Runner-up and Sun Belt Golfer of the Year. “Looking back, I’d say it’s just gone by really fast and I really don’t want it to end.”
Wilson Andress
Wilson Andress has been a beacon of consistency and excellence for the Eagles. He finished his career with three top-5, six top-10, and 11 top-20 finishes, including a win at the Gopher Invitational where his lowest round was a 66. In his fifth year, Andress ranked third in the Sun Belt for scoring average (70.97). Off the fairway, Andress was a decorated academic. He was named to the President’s List (4.0 GPA or better) every semester of his college career, the Sun Belt Commissioner’s List four times, a GCAA All-American Scholar twice, and a CSC First-Team Academic All-American his last year. Andress turned pro and joined the PGA Canada Tour. In June, he tied for fourth in the Elk Ridge Saskatchewan Open. Last week, he played the Commissionaires Ottawa Open, last week and didn’t make the cut.
Colin Bowles
Colin Bowles, a mid-year freshman transfer from Ohio State University, was another consistent performer on the team with scoring averages in the low 70s all five years. In his sophomore year, Bowles shot a season low 66 twice and carded his best finish tying for 11th at the Thomas Sharkey Individual Collegiate. He finished his career with the Eagles with two top-5, three top-10 and 8 top-20 finishes. Off the fairway, Bowles balanced academic excellence with athletic skill. He was named to the Sun Belt Academic Honor Roll and earned the GCAA All-American Scholar. Bowles is currently planning to turn pro after the summer.
Ben Carr
Carr finished his career with the Eagles with a staggering 14 top-5, 28 top-10 and 36 top-20 finishes. He also notched four individual tournament wins, including the Sun Belt Championship. With his runner-up placement at the U.S. Amateur, Carr secured an invitation to the 2023 Masters, where he posted the second-lowest score for an amateur, and the U.S. Open, where he made the cut and placed 62nd out of more than 150 golfers. He is currently ranked 16th by GolfStat and 20th in PGA Tour University rankings.
Mason Williams
Mason Williams was a force to reckon with on the greens. Recognized as the First-team All-Sun Belt, Williams has been pivotal in many of the team’s top finishes. He wrapped up his career with the Eagles with exemplary 11 top-5, 17 top-10 and 21 top-20 finishes. He notched two individual wins at the Thomas Sharkey Invitational and Bash in the Boro. He also tied for first at the Gator Invitational and finished second in the Sun Belt for scoring average (70.06). Off the green, Williams was also a decorated student, earning a place on the Dean’s List, President’s List, Sun Belt Commissioner’s List, Sun Belt Honor Roll, GCAA All-American Scholar and CSC Academic All-District. Williams is also pursuing a professional golf career. He is currently ranked 68th in the nation by GolfStat and recently placed third at the Mimosa Open on the GPro Tour.
“The seniors have done so much for this program and Georgia Southern and for each other,” said Men’s Golf Head Coach Carter Collins. “They’ve done more for me than I ever could have for them. So my appreciation for them is unmeasurable, and I’m always going to be there for them no matter what.”
As to the future of Georgia Southern without these talented players, Collins said the Eagles will be young, but experienced.
“In the shadows has been a really good, young group of players who have played some fantastic golf all year,” he said. “Tons of great golf from some very young players. The future at Georgia Southern is very bright.
“It’s going to be huge missing those guys, not just from a golf perspective, but from leadership and academics,” he added. “But I’m confident that the current guys and a couple of the future guys will be able to keep the ball rolling in the right direction.”
— Doy Cave
Photos by AJ Henderson and Whitney Haworth