AIKEN, S.C. -- Freshman Harris Barth (E) placed eighth to lead the Furman (+8) men's golf team to a runner-up finish Tuesday in the final round of the Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate, which was hosted by USC Aiken at the par 70, 6,617 yard Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken, S.C.

The Paladins (+8), who led the field with a 3.02 scoring average on the par 3s and were second both with a 4.17 scoring average on the par 4s and with 51 birdies, recorded the program's best finish of the 2022-23 season.  South Carolina (-2) won the tournament, while Furman eeked out a 1-stroke advantage over Wisconsin (+9), which finished third.  The Paladins finished ahead of Virginia Tech (5th place +15) and SoCon foes Mercer (6th +24), Wofford (T9th +31), and Samford (13th +53).

Barth, who hails from Atlanta, Ga., teed off on No. 5 in the day's shotgun start and birdied No. 10 and No. 11.  He finished the day with a 73 to conclude the tournament six strokes back of Mercer's Tobias Jonsson (-6), who won the individual championship with rounds of 69-65-70=204.

The Paladins had three other players among the top 19.  Senior Walker Crosby (+1) tied for ninth after firing a 67 with a team-high four birdies, including back to back birdies on No. 13 and No. 14, in Tuesday's round, and senior Ross Funderburke (+5) recorded a 73 with three birdies in round three to place 18th.  Sophomore Will Morlan (+6) finished in a tie for 19th after carding a 75 with birdies on No. 1 and No. 14 in the final round. 

Senior Sam Lape (+9) shot a 72 with a birdie on No. 10, tying for 30th. 

Furman will compete at the General Hackler Championship in Myrtle Beach, S.C., March 13-14. 

2 Furman 286 277 285 848 +8

8 Harris Barth (4) 71 66 73 210 E

T9 Walker Crosby (2) 72 72 67 211 +1

18 Ross Funderburke (3) 71 71 73 215 +5

T19 Will Morlan (1) 73 68 75 216 +6

T30 Sam Lape (5) 72 75 72 219 +9