© 2011 NCSU Student Media
Graham Baillargeon drives his golfball across the 405 yard 16th hole at the Lonnie Poole golf course for the Wolfpack Spring Open April 16, 2011. The teams started an hour early in the stormy weather to avoid the tornado strength storms later in the day. Baillargeon was playing as an individual and shot 6-over 77, putting him in 27th. Photo by Tim O'Brien.
Despite the loss of All-American junior Mitch Sutton to a wrist injury, N.C. State salvaged a decent fall season. Highlighting the autumn achievements were individual victories from senior Mark McMillen , co-champion at the Bank of Tennessee Intercollegiate, and sophomore Albin Choi , winner of the Bridgestone Golf Collegiate. Choi’s victory was the third individual triumph of his young career, which has already included an appearance in last year’s Canadian Open tournament on the PGA Tour.
In all four tournaments, coach Richard Sykes’s team had respectable showings which will keep State in the discussion moving toward February. Finishing fourth place in Colorado, seventh in its home Wolfpack Intercollegiate event, fourth in Tennessee, and second in Greensboro, the team resume is solid considering one of the group’s most productive players has been absent. Choi , McMillen and Graham Baillargeon (scoring average of 74.0) will be the statistical leaders heading into the Spring. The 2012 schedule includes stops in Puerto Rico, Louisiana, Georgia, South Carolina and three straight tournaments in North Carolina.