Jones Earns Spot On ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Squad
Tom Myrick
5/22/2009 10:33:57 AM
MACON, Ga- Mercer golfer Bill Jones III continued to sign off his senior season in spectacular fashion, as the Conyers, Ga. native earned a spot on the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Second Team. Along with his accomplishments on the golf course, Jones rang up an impressive 3.82 GPA in his business major to land a spot on the at-large team.
The award means that Mercer men’s golf has now had a player earn an Academic All-District spot in each of the last four seasons. Andrew An was a first-team recipient in 2008 and a second team recipient in both 2006 and 2007.
“Bill did an incredible job for us this year, on and off the golf course,” head coach Andrew Tredway said of the former Darton Junior College man. “It’s an honor for him to get the recognition that he’s getting and he really deserves all of the accolades that come his way. He’s a class act and I’m happy for him.”
Jones made Mercer golf history this season when he became the first golfer to qualify for the NCAA regionals, where he fired a solid one-over 214 (71-73-70). Jones played a vital role in helping Mercer men’s golf continue its astounding turnaround, leading Mercer to the program’s highest-ever national ranking (86th) and its best conference finish (third) since 1992. Playing in every tournament and sporting a team-low 73.77 scoring average, Jones earned three top-five, four top-ten and five top-20 finishes for the Orange and Black this season.
In perhaps his best individual performance of the year, Jones proved he could more than hold his own against the nation’s best. He earned a second-place finish after carding a 209 (-7) at the Linger Longer Invitational, putting him just one shot off the lead in a field that included No. 1 Georgia and No. 2 Oklahoma State.
Jones also topped 11 of the nation’s top 100 golfers on his way to a share of fourth place with a four-under at the Rio Pinar Invitational, a tournament that saw the senior shoot eight of his nine competitive rounds at even par or below. Jones landed a fifth place finish at the Atlantic Sun Championship in April: his final team event with the Bears.