BULLARD, TEXAS – The UT Tyler men's golf team defeated no. 1 seeded Oklahoma Christian in the team medal match championship and tied atop the team stroke play leaderboard with no. 16 Midwestern State after a final round 287 at Eagles Bluff Country Club on Tuesday afternoon.
The Patriots took home the 2022 King-Alfred Spring Invitational local crown with the win over the no. 1 seeded and no. 8 nationally-ranked Eagles of Oklahoma Christian and matched no. 16 Midwestern State for the stroke play win with a three-round total of 870 (295-288-287). Freshman
Jackson Naeger and sophomore
Carter Lewis both finished in a tie for fifth place on the individual leaderboard after under-par final rounds to help UT Tyler make up the five-shot deficit against Midwestern State.
The win for UT Tyler is the first for the program since the Linda Lowery Invitational back on Feb. 25-26, 2019 and the first victory for the Patriots as official Division II members.
UT Tyler and Midwestern State decided the official victors on the stroke play leaderboard with a team playoff on the 18
th hole following the conclusion of the final round. The two teams tied the first time through the hole before Midwestern State eventually claimed the victory on the second playoff hole.
UT Tyler secured head-to-head win over no. 36 Texas A&M-Commerce, no. 8 Oklahoma Christian and no. 43 St. Mary's with their tie for first place on the team leaderboard, and defeated St. Mary's, Midwestern State and Oklahoma Christian in the team medal match play bracket in the three rounds to take down the three traditional powers in the Lone Star Conference.
Texas A&M International's Mauricio Figueroa took home the individual crown with a three-under par total of 210 (73-71-66), and was one of just two individuals to finish under-par for the event.
Naeger and Lewis finished just five shots back of Figueroa with two-over par totals of 215 for the event. Naeger fired rounds of 72-74-69 for the three rounds while Lewis posted rounds of 73-72-70.
Sophomores
Garrett Honeycutt and
Jackson Powers both collected top-25 individual finishes for the Patriots as Honeycutt posted a final round 76 and Powers a 73 to help lead UT Tyler to the comeback victory on the stroke play leaderboard. Honeycutt completed his tournament in a tie for 15
th place with a 221 (74-71-76) total and Powers a tie for 21
st place finish with a 224 (80-71-73).
Freshman
Alex Kopenhaver capped off his tournament with a final round 75 to finish in a tie for 28
th place with a 228 (76-77-75) total.
Freshman
Ryan Willis carded an even-par round of 71 on Tuesday to finish in a tie for 23
rd place as an individual competitor with rounds of 79-76-71 (226). Classmate
Trent Pollard also posted a quality final round with a 73 on Tuesday to finish in a tie for 28
th place with a 228 (77-78-73) total.
Freshman
Francesco Abba closed out his event as an individual competitor with a 77 to post a three-round total of 246 (85-84-77).
The Patriots will look to continue their quality play into the final event before the 2022 Lone Star Conference Men's Golf Championships on Apr. 18-20 next week at the DBU Men's Classic at Wildhorse Golf Club at Robson Ranch. Play for that event is scheduled for Apr. 4-5.
