SAVANNAH - A team of golfers from Liberty County took home third place in the annual Bill Davis Memorial Golf Outing that was held October 15 at the Savannah Country Club.

The team, which was sponsored by Dr. Clemontine Washington, consisted of Alvin Jackson, Kendall Paige, Scott Armberster and Mark Germonprez. The foursome combined to shoot a 14-under-par 57 in the 18-hole event.

Christian Golf Association had the same score but Team Liberty claimed third with a scorecard playoff by matching their opponent on the standard countbacks and ultimately posting a lower score on the course’s No. 2 handicap hole.

Hosted by the University Advancement team from Savannah State University, the tournament drew 24 teams.

The annual golf tournament began in 1971 as an opportunity for individuals to get together to support what was then known as Savannah State College. Over the years, the event grew, and the support for Savannah State increased, specifically aimed at scholarship assistance for current students and in 1984, the Savannah State Foundation accepted the charge of hosting the Homecoming Golf Outing.

In 1996, the Foundation wanted to recognize the contributions made by William R. “Bill” Davis, as head football coach at Savannah State College from 1986 to 1992 and then at Savannah State University from 2000 until his passing in 2002 at just 60 years old.. In doing so, the outing became known as the Bill Davis Memorial Golf Tournament.

Davis was named the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference coach of the year in 1986 and 1988. He coached 10 all-American players at Savannah State from 1989-92, and the Tigers made their first trip to the NCAA Division II playoffs under Davis in 1992.

Davis also served as the school’s athletic director from 1990-92 and retired as the winningest coach in Tigers football program history.

Davis was inducted into the Savannah State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011. He also was head coach at South Carolina State University.