NEWS

Busse on the tee at the par-3 8th hole during Monday’s first round.

Carter Busse won the 2023 River Run Collegiate tournament. And while he is a local golfer, he isn’t a Davidson Wildcat. Busse was recruited by and plays for the East Carolina University Pirates.

The ECU Pirates, with tournament champion Carter Busse.

The 54-hole 2-day event was held at the par 70, 6,871-yard River Run Country Club. This year’s tournament featured 14 teams: Appalachian State, Davidson, Delaware, East Carolina, Eastern Michigan, Gardner-Webb, George Mason, Loyola-Chicago, Old Dominion, Presbyterian, Queens, Radford, William & Mary, Winthrop. Each team competed with 5 golfers. An additional 10 golfers played as individuals.    

As the second round of play wrapped up late Monday, there were three generations of Busse’s family walking the final holes with him. Parents Hunter and Chuck Busse, sister Sarah, and maternal grandparents Kim and Andy Beard live in Davidson and were beaming with pride as he led the field.

The tournament victory is Busse’s first at the collegiate level, and if he can continue to string great rounds of golf together like he did over the past two days, it won’t be his last.  

Busse finished 10 under par, with rounds of 68 and 64 Monday and a final round of 68 Tuesday. His 3-round 200 total bested the next golfer by three shots. Radford’s Bryce Corbett shot a 67 Tuesday, after rounds of 66 and 70 Monday.

Radford won the team play, followed by ECU. Davidson and Delaware tied for third.

The Radford Highlanders – winners of the River Run Collegiate team competition.

Wes Marshall, River Run General Manager, spoke to all the golfers and coaches before the awards presentation. He thanked the team for patience as some of the ongoing construction around the course. He promised that work would be completed by next year’s tournament.

With that, Davidson head coach Tim Straub presented the individual and team awards.

Busse is a junior at ECU and golfed at Lake Norman Charter during high school. He led LNC to two consecutive NCHSAA 2A state championships and was a 3-year letterman.

Top 10 Individuals

Carter Busse                East Carolina               -10

Bryce Corbett               Radford                          -7

Nick Taliaferro               Radford                         -4

Joshua Stewart             Davidson College         -4

Cam Kellett                   Eastern Michigan         -3

Ariyachatvakin              Delaware                      -2

Will Davis                    Davidson College          -2

Jakob Chicoyne           Old Dominion               -1

Bobby Dudeck             Radford                        -1

Avery Mahoney          Eastern Michigan            E

Final Team Rankings

1 – Radford

2 – East Carolina

T3 – Davidson College

T3 – Delaware

5 – Old Dominion University

6 – Eastern Michigan

7 – George Mason

T8 – Winthrop

T8 – William & Mary

10 – Gardner-Webb

T11 – Appalachian State University

T11 – Loyola University – Chicago

13 – Queens University of Charlotte

14 – High Point University