Mundy nearly claims state title

Former Lakeside High School star Jay Mundy finished one shot out of a playoff at last weekend's Georgia State Amateur Championship. The 81st annual tournament was held at Doublegate Country Club in Albany.

Mundy, a rising senior at Auburn University, helped guide the Lakeside golf team to the Class AAAA championship in 1999, which still is the only team title Lakeside has won in its 14-year existence.

In Albany, Mundy fired a second-round 69 to move within two shots of the lead heading into the final 36 holes. He added rounds of 71-73 during the weekend to finish at 2-under par 286, which was one back of Jonathan Shiflet and Bill Brown.

Shiflet, a former Augusta State University golfer, went on the capture the title. He is the second straight ASU product to take the State Am trophy, as Michael Webb won last year. Another former Jag, Jayce Stepp, was tied for third with Mundy.

In addition to Mundy, three other Columbia County natives participated - Cortland Lowe, who played at Augusta Prep and now is on the golf team at Wake Forest, closed with rounds of 72-73 to finish tied for 31st, while Kris Shepherd (an Evans High product) and Brendan O'Connell (Lakeside) both missed the 36-hole cut.

Lowe, Shephard and O'Connell each had earned berths in the State Amateur by advancing through local qualifying, which was staged last month at The Club at Jones Creek.

Mundy qualified at Green Island Country Club in Columbus, where he shot a 4-under par 68 to claim one of four spots available in the qualifier.