Men’s golf coach Chris Haack has been searching high and low for a solid player for the fourth spot on the team all season.

The lack of presence at that spot resulted in Haack finally turning to a walk-on – senior Wills Smith – who Haack asked to join the team two weeks ago for this week’s Isleworth Collegiate Invitational, a tournament boasting one of the nation’s strongest fields as it has 10 teams ranked in the top-25, and seven of the top-15 nationally.

Smith delivered on Tuesday, shooting a 1-over-par in only his third collegiate start to give the Bulldogs the fourth spot score they’ve coveted all season. Smith’s 73 proved pivotal for the Dogs, helping his team to the low round of the day, a 4-over-par, 292. The score helped the Bulldogs climb to fourth place on the leaderboard – 12 shots behind winner Oklahoma State at 29-over-par – after starting the day in 7th.

“That was a great round,” Haack said of Smith’s round. “I think that round was the key to our finish because we’ve been looking for a good score out of a fourth guy all year, and we finally got one. And I think it showed that we’re as good as anyone in the country when that happens, so it was good to finally get a good fourth score in there and that’s the first time that’s happened all year.”

Added junior Russell Henley: “After a tough first round, it is pretty easy to get down on yourself because you feel like you’ve got nothing to come out and play for. But it really shows [Smith's] a team player by staying in it out there and 1-over-par out there on that golf course is awesome. I’m really glad to have him on the team.”

As important as Smith’s contributions were, equally noteworthy for the Dogs and the outlook of their season was the outstanding play of redshirt freshman T.J. Mitchell, who continued to emerge, shooting a final round 1-over-par for sole possession of 6th at 3-over-par for the tournament.

Mitchell’s first career top-10 finish comes on the heels of shooting a final-round 3-under-par at The Brickyard Championships two weeks ago.

“He played really good today. He played really good all week, and that was really good to see,” Haack said of Mitchell.

“And that’s coming off the 69 [he shot] at The Brickyard so hopefully that’s going to give him some confidence and momentum heading into the spring.”

“I was very proud of him,” Henley said of Mitchell’s play. “After the round yesterday, I told him I was proud of him. I think he lost his confidence right before he came to college and he’s getting it back. He’s always been a good player physically, and he’s starting to get the mental aspect and believe he can do it again and I’m happy for him and ready for the spring.”

Henley, who won the 2008 Isleworth, recorded his third top-10 finish in four fall tournaments, placing in a tie for 7th at 4-over-par. With another top-10, Henley completed a fall campaign in which he registered a win and is currently ranked by Golfweek as the No. 6 player in the country.

Junior Harris English battled back from a first-round 79 and second-round 77 to shoot the low round of the day for the Dogs, an even-par, resulting in a tie for 33rd for the tournament at 12-over-par. Freshman Brian Carter finished the tournament in a tie for 66th at 25-over-par.

The Bulldogs’ spring outlook could receive a substantial boost next month when senior Hudson Swafford, who was a second-team All-American last season, finds out if he will be able to return from summer shoulder surgery on a torn labrum. The injury, which has sidelined him for all of the fall, could force him to redshirt this season.

“It would mean a lot,” Henley said of the possible return of Swafford. “Hudson is one of the best players I’ve played with in college golf, and he would have a huge impact. Knowing he could be even-par or seven-under out there, just having a guy like that that can shoot incredible scores on tough golf courses would be great. But we’re going to be patient with Hudson and not try to force it.”