SMCC Men's Golf Wins 2022 NJCAA DII National Championship; Cecil Belisle Claims Individual Medalist Honors
PHOENIX ---
The South Mountain Community College men's golf team won the NJCAA Division II National Championship at Twin Hills Golf and Country Club in Joplin, Mo., May 17-20. The Cougars finished the four-day tournament at +31 to defeat Mississippi Gulf Coast CC and Tyler Junior College by 19 strokes and capture the eighth National Championship in SMCC men's golf program history. Individually, sophomore Cecil Belisle won his second-straight National Championship and claimed Individual Medalist honors by finishing at even-par over the 72 holes to defeat his nearest rival by three strokes.
Led by SMCC head coach Chelsea Carroll, who ran both the Cougar men's and women's programs in the 2021-22 season, the Cougars opened the tournament with a +9, 297 team score to sit in second place. They improved by three strokes in round two (+6, 294), posted a +11, 299 in round three and claimed the event with a final-round score of +5, 293. SMCC finished at +31 (1,183).
SMCC finished a combined -11 on the par-five holes in the event, 10 strokes better than their nearest competitor. The Cougars were +27 on the par-three holes and +49, tying for first among the teams, on the par-four holes. The Cougars totaled 210 pars, 47 birdies and three eagles over their four days of competition.
Belisle posted rounds of 71, 71, 72 and 74 on the par-72 course to win the tournament for the second-straight year. He had three birdies in three rounds (first, second, fourth) and had a pair of birdies over his second 18 holes. He carded a four on the par-five seventh hole three times, and he posted a birdie on eight of the course's 18 holes over the four days.
He was -6 on the course's par-fives and +3 on the par-three and par-fours. Belisle tied for the tournament lead with 50 pars over the 72 holes. Belisle received the 2022 NJCAA Division II Arnold Palmer National Individual Champion Award for his performance, which the Golf Coaches Association of America awards. Belisle's Complete Scorecard (PDF).
In the final round, freshman Ethan Klose moved up five spots on the leaderboard and finished sixth at +6 (294). He carded rounds of 75, 73, 75 and 71 during the event. His opening round featured an eagle on No. 10, and he overcame a double-bogey early in his second round to record five birdies on the day. In the third round, he posted one birdie and then closed with three birdies over the final four holes to finish at -1 for the day. Klose's Complete Scorecard (PDF).
Freshman Zachary Erskine tied for 29th at +16 (304) and posted scores of 72, 74, 78 and 80 over the four days. His opening round featured an eagle and two birdies, and he recorded six more birdies throughout the weekend. Erskine's Complete Scorecard (PDF).
Sophomore Sean Markham tied for 43rd at +19 (307) and recorded rounds of 79, 76, 78 and 74. During the event, he had 11 birdies and an eagle on the par-five No. 15 in his second round. Markham's Complete Scorecard (PDF).
Sophomore Jando Hernandez tied for 52nd +24 (312) and carded scores of 82, 82, 74 and 74. He posted five birdies over his final 36 holes to move up eight spots on the last day. Hernandez's Complete Scorecard (PDF).
SMCC previously won the NJCAA Division II National Championships in 2004, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2019.
* ---- All Photos Courtesy of NJCAA