MUSCLE SHOALS, Ala. – It took a playoff with host North Alabama University but the Lee men's golf team carried the UNA Spring Classic championship trophy back to Cleveland for the second straight year.

In the playoff on the Robert Trent Jones at the Shoals golf course, every Flame made par before senior Taylor Davis stepped up and rolled in a birdie to give Lee first-place honors.

"It was fun to be back in the hunt this week," said coach John Maupin. "We showed a lot of competitive toughness over the three rounds. The guys have been working really hard. It feels good to see it pay off in a victory."
 
The 54-hole tournament saw the Flames post team numbers of 284-287-294 – 865. North Alabama, trailing by six strokes going into the final 18, carded a final round 288 to force the playoff.

Delta State placed third (884). Limestone College fourth (887) and Colorado Christian and South Carolina Beaufort tied for fifth (889) in the field of 15 teams.

The Flames entered the event ranked 10^th in NCAA Division II. North Alabama follows at 12th, Missouri-St Louis 17^th and Colorado Christian 18^th.
 
"We got big contributions from everyone this week and that was important," noted Maupin.
 
Senior Peyton Sliger earned a spot on the five-man all-tournament team. He finished in fourth place in the medalist competition with rounds of 69-71-73 – 213, 3-under par over the demanding layout.
 
Corey Sheppard tied for eighth (72-69-76 – 217). Shea Sylvester followed close behind and deadlocked for 10^th (71-73-74 – 218). Davis tied for 12^th (72-74-74 – 220) and Adam Wright was also solid when his 74-74-73 – 221 was good enough for a tie for 19^th.
 
Limestone's Griffin Brown defeated North Alabama's Austin Sparks in a playoff for medalist honors. Both finished the tourney at 211, two strokes better than Sliger.
 
"We are excited to carry this momentum into our next tournament," added Maupin. The Flames will load up again this weekend and head for Pensacola, Fla. to take part in the Argonaut Invitational, hosted by the University of West Florida.