2007-08 Media Guide
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A new era of men’s golf began in earnest prior to the 2006-07 season at Clayton State with the addition of Barry Harwell as the Lakers’ new men’s head golf coach. In turn, the fortunes of Laker men's golf began to ascend quickly under Harwell's leadership.

After building the foundation during Harwell's first season, the 2007-08 season could eventually be looked upon as a "breakthrough" year for the Clayton State men's golf program.

The most recent addition of Laker men's golf under Harwell captured two team championships - the Southbridge Pirate Invitational and the Orchard Fall Invitational, as well as a runner-up finish to USC Aiken at the 2008 Peach Belt Conference Tournament, the team's highest finish in the PBC Championships to date. Individually, junior Will Wilcox also captured the program's first individual PBC championship championship with an 8-under-par 206.

Harwell's Lakers followed up the strong PBC finish with a solid fourth-place finish in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional, earning their first NCAA Division II National Championship berth since 1999. Clayton State placed 10th overall at the 2008 NCAA Division II National after leading the the field with a 7-under 273 during the first round. For the season, Clayton State was ranked in the Golf World/Nike Golf Division II Top 25 Coach's Poll, finishing 20th in the final ranking for the second-highest national ranking in the history of Laker men's golf.

Inheriting a Laker program that needed to re-establish a history of NCAA Division II National Tournament participation, Clayton State made its move under Harwell, a native of Carrollton, Ga., in the 2006-07 season. The Lakers recorded their first tournament championship in seven seasons and garnered eight Top 10 finishes in their 10 tournaments combined in the fall and spring. Clayton State also garnered a seventh-place finish at the Peach Belt Conference Tournament.

Under Harwell, Clayton State has produced four individual tournament champions, plus a two-time Division II All-Southeast Region and a two-time Division II All-American. Wilcox became Clayton State's first ever Division II first team All-American in 2008 and the first Clayton State player to garner All-Peach Belt Conference honors since 2000.

A former professional player on the PGA Tour and collegiate standout at the University of Alabama, Harwell is the third head coach in the brief history of men’s golf at Clayton State, and he has an extensive playing background as both an amateur and professional.

He was a prep golf standout at Carrollton High School, and also played football for Georgia high school coaching legend Charlie Grisham, and was eventually inducted into the Carrollton Trojan Athletic Hall of Fame.

During his career at Alabama under head coach Conrad Rehling, Harwell was the co-captain and second team All-Southeastern Conference selection for the Crimson Tide's 1979 Southeastern Conference championship team, which until 2008 was the only Alabama team in program to win the SEC title. Individually, he placed third at the SEC championships with a three-round score of 215 for the top Crimson Tide scorer for the event. That season, Alabama also won the St. Andrews Intercollegiate Invitational played at the Historic Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland.

Overall, Harwell lettered all four seasons at Alabama, was an A-Club inductee and helped lead the Crimson Tide to two SEC runner-up finishes in addition to its championship in 1979.

In the professional ranks, Harwell played three seasons (1980-1982) on the PGA Tour, advancing through the Tour Qualifying School twice at Pinehurst No. 6 in 1980 and the Disney Magnolia Course in 1981.

During his three seasons on the Tour, some of Harwell's most notable moments on the tour included a runner-up finish at the 1980 Walt Disney Team Championship with partner Mike Harmon and high finishes at both the Bob Hope Desert Classic and the Atlanta Classic. In addition, Harwell won the 1982 Georgia Open in a field that included former PGA greats Tim Simpson and 1974 Masters champion Tommy Aaron.

He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Finance from Alabama in 1979. Before becoming head coach at Clayton State, Harwell was a club professional in Georgia, New Jersey and South Carolina. He currently resides in Carrollton.