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CU men's golf finishes 4th at UCO
EDMOND, Oklahoma (March 25) – With only one tournament to go before postseason play begins, the Aggie men’s golf team this week traveled northeast to take part in the KickingBird Classic tournament in Edmond, Oklahoma. After three rounds in two days, the Aggies took 4th place overall ahead of a number of fellow Lone Star Conference programs.
“We played pretty good, and better than what it looks like,” Head Coach Jerry Hrnciar said. “I was pretty pleased with how after we finished strong after starting out struggling. It was good to see that. Everybody played pretty good golf, especially considering the greens, the wind, and the morning cold.”
The event was hosted by the University of Central Oklahoma and was played at the KickingBird Golf Club (Par 70; 6,722 yards). A total of fifteen teams and eighty-four players participated in the tournament.
The Aggies finished with a total team score of 883 (292-300-291). The host Bronchos of Central Oklahoma won the team title after winning a two-team playoff with the Midwestern State Mustangs. Both UCO and MSU finished the event with a team score of 870. UCO’s Colby Shrum won the individual title with a three-round score of 870 (297-285-288).
Cameron was in 4th place after Monday’s first two rounds, and wanted to avoid a third round letdown similar to what the team had experienced in the last few tournaments. This time the Aggies actually recorded their best round of the tournament in the third and final round, much to the delight of Coach Hrnciar.
“The big thing was that we had our best round the last round, which is so important,” Coach Hrnciar said. “We have been stumbling in the last round for quite a while, and it was good to get this one under our belt.”
On another positive note, the Aggies held their ground regionally with victories over Southwestern Oklahoma State and Southeastern Oklahoma State. A win over Midwestern State would have completed the three-team regional sweep for CU.
“I’m not happy we didn’t finish higher. There were still some obstacles we couldn’t overcome,” Coach Hrnciar said. “We are on a road now to improving and that gives us a little bit of breathing room. Now when we go to our next tournament it won’t be such a life and death deal to win.”
Junior Peter Svajlen had a great tournament and was the only Aggie to finish in the top ten. Svajlen, who won the last tournament Cameron competed in (Red River Intercollegiate), ended the event tied for 10th place overall with a final score of 218 (72-76-70). Svajlen also recorded the third-most eagles with 1, and the fourth-best par five scoring average (4.33, -6).
Like Svajlen, sophomore Michael Lee also took off six strokes from his day one score on day two, and finished the tournament in a tie for 17th place overall. His three-round score was 220 (72-77-71). In the event Lee recorded the fourth-best par four scoring average (4.23, +7).
Sophomore Brett Leavell, who led the Cameron men after the first two rounds, and senior Cane Shumaker both finished in the top 50 golfers overall. Leavell finished in a tie for 26th place with a two-day score of 223 (72-75-76). Shumaker ended in a tie for 35th place overall with an overall score of 225 (76-72-77).
Another Aggie sophomore, Robbe Trout, finished the KickingBird Classic in a tie for 67th place overall with a three-round score of 236 (83-79-74).
A pair of Aggie men’s golfers competed as individual medalists in the tournament and put together very solid performances. Junior Cade Lewis and freshman Dave Young competed individually and finished in a tie for 57th place and 67th place, respectively. Lewis recorded a final score of 233 (74-81-78), while Young recorded a 236 (80-81-75). Lewis also recorded the second-most pars in the event with 34.
The Aggie men’s golf team next travels to Pensacola, Florida, to participate in the Argonaut Invitational. The event is hosted by #1 West Florida University and will be played from April 7-8 at the Tiger Point Golf and Country Club. Some of the top teams in the nation will be competing in the tournament including Valdosta State, Delta State, and North Alabama.
“There will be a lot of elite competition in that tournament,” Coach Hrnciar said. “If we can be competitive with the top teams it will give us a good indication of where we are and where we need to be. It will be like a mini regional tournament.”
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