Sunday, September 6
True Blue Golf Club - Pawleys Island, SC
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Golfweek Fall Challenge
Williams Earns First Collegiate Victory As UT Martin Places Fifth In Season-Opening Golfweek Fall Challenge
9/8/2026 5:11:00 PM | Golf
PAWLEYS ISLAND, SC – Drew Williams began his 2026-27 season off right as the University of Tennessee at Martin junior topped the 86-man Golfweek Fall Challenge field for the first medalist victory of his collegiate career.
Williams, who led the tournament after Sunday's opening round and ranked seventh through yesterday's second round, shot a 67 (-5) with six birdies and just one bogey today. That leapt the Greensboro, Ga. native six spots in the standings for a cumulative score of 206 (-10) – which was one stroke better than runner-up Griffin Latimer from Georgia State.
Williams wrapped up the tournament ranking second in par-3 scoring (2.73, -4), fifth in par-4 scoring (3.96, -1), fifth in birdies (15) and 11th in par-5 scoring (4.67, -5). It marked the seventh top-10 finish of his Skyhawk career.
"Hats off to Drew," UT Martin head coach Austin Swafford said. "He's consistently improved over his career and to start his junior year with a win is just special. He's a great representative of our program and I couldn't be happier for him."
Williams' rise to the top of the leaderboard coincided with a big jump in the team standings for the Skyhawks. UT Martin carded its best score of the tournament with a 286 (-2) today, finishing in a four-way tie with Mercer, Old Dominion and Tennessee Tech for fifth place at 868 (+4). The Skyhawks performed exceptionally well on par-3's this week as they led the event in average scoring (2.99, -1) on those holes.
The UT Martin trio of Lucas Herring (one birdie, 15 pars), Grant Phillips (one birdie, 15 pars) and Luke Beadles (three birdies) each shot countable 73's (+1) today in Round 3. Regan Kueker was the Skyhawks' fifth member of the scoring lineup as he compiled a 75 (+3) with a pair of birdies.
Overall, Herring posted a 218 (+2) with Phillips following closely behind with a 219 (+3) that included the fifth-most pars (39) in the tournament. Kueker and Beadles each finished with a final score of 231 (+15).
"This was a solid opening week for us against a great field of teams," Swafford said. "We need to improve our par-5 scoring and work on our distance control with wedges before next week but there were a lot of positives this week, beginning with the effort and attitude I saw from the guys. They stayed patient and competed for 18 holes each round so I'm extremely proud of that."
UT Martin hosts its first of three tournaments next week when it puts on the Grover Page Classic in Jackson, Tenn. The 54-hole event will take place at Jackson Country Club on Monday, Sept. 14 through Tuesday, Sept. 15.
Williams, who led the tournament after Sunday's opening round and ranked seventh through yesterday's second round, shot a 67 (-5) with six birdies and just one bogey today. That leapt the Greensboro, Ga. native six spots in the standings for a cumulative score of 206 (-10) – which was one stroke better than runner-up Griffin Latimer from Georgia State.
Williams wrapped up the tournament ranking second in par-3 scoring (2.73, -4), fifth in par-4 scoring (3.96, -1), fifth in birdies (15) and 11th in par-5 scoring (4.67, -5). It marked the seventh top-10 finish of his Skyhawk career.
"Hats off to Drew," UT Martin head coach Austin Swafford said. "He's consistently improved over his career and to start his junior year with a win is just special. He's a great representative of our program and I couldn't be happier for him."
Williams' rise to the top of the leaderboard coincided with a big jump in the team standings for the Skyhawks. UT Martin carded its best score of the tournament with a 286 (-2) today, finishing in a four-way tie with Mercer, Old Dominion and Tennessee Tech for fifth place at 868 (+4). The Skyhawks performed exceptionally well on par-3's this week as they led the event in average scoring (2.99, -1) on those holes.
The UT Martin trio of Lucas Herring (one birdie, 15 pars), Grant Phillips (one birdie, 15 pars) and Luke Beadles (three birdies) each shot countable 73's (+1) today in Round 3. Regan Kueker was the Skyhawks' fifth member of the scoring lineup as he compiled a 75 (+3) with a pair of birdies.
Overall, Herring posted a 218 (+2) with Phillips following closely behind with a 219 (+3) that included the fifth-most pars (39) in the tournament. Kueker and Beadles each finished with a final score of 231 (+15).
"This was a solid opening week for us against a great field of teams," Swafford said. "We need to improve our par-5 scoring and work on our distance control with wedges before next week but there were a lot of positives this week, beginning with the effort and attitude I saw from the guys. They stayed patient and competed for 18 holes each round so I'm extremely proud of that."
UT Martin hosts its first of three tournaments next week when it puts on the Grover Page Classic in Jackson, Tenn. The 54-hole event will take place at Jackson Country Club on Monday, Sept. 14 through Tuesday, Sept. 15.
Players Mentioned
Sunday, September 06
Tuesday, September 01
Tuesday, March 17
Tuesday, February 24