Aggies rally to take third at The Territory Classic
DUNCAN, Okla. (March 15) - After stumbling on the back nine to post a team score of 301 Monday, the Cameron men's golf team rallied under adverse conditions Tuesday in the final round of The Territory Collegiate Classic at The Territory Golf and Country Club near Duncan. Coach Jerry Hrnciar's squad posted the second lowest team score of the day with a 294, fighting near-freezing temperatures and strong northerly winds to vault from sixth to third place in the team standings with a two-round total of 595 (+19).
"We played 27 real good holes and nine bad ones, but I was proud of the way our team came back and performed today." Hrnciar said following the 36-hole event. "Today's conditions were obviously tough on everyone, but our guys know what the weather can do around here this time of year and I thought they handled it very well."
The Aggies finished 10 strokes off the pace set by tournament champion Southern Nazarene, which held on to its first-day lead despite a late charge by Southwestern Oklahoma. The Bulldogs made up 10 strokes on the Crimson Storm on Tuesday, posting a team score of 290, and finished three shots back with a two-day total of 588 (+12). Washburn was fourth at 599, while Texas Wesleyan rounded out the top five with a 602 team total.
Canadian, Texas, junior Travis Lovins led the Cameron charge Tuesday, firing a two-under 70. Lovins had five birdies in his round, including three on the back nine, to finish in the top five individually. The effort was good enough for all-tournament honors and an even-par score of 144 for the event. Sophomore Owen Mahaffey posted an even-par 72 on Tuesday and finished one stroke behind Lovins in a tie for seventh.
Ryan King matched his opening-round 76 and finished among a group at eight-over for the tournament, while Nic Ware added a 76 in the final round to finish at 10-over.
Kolby Seals, playing unattached in the tournament, finished with a 76 on Tuesday, while Brian Adams carded an 82.
Medalist honors went to Southwestern Oklahoma's Brian Hostetler. Hostetler was one of two Bulldogs to post final-round scores of 69 on Tuesday and finished the tournament with a two-round total of 139 (-5). He led all players in the tournament in par-3 scoring (-3) and finished second in the tournament in total birdies (8), one behind Cameron's Mahaffey. Lovins led in par-5 scoring, finishing six-under on The Territory's four par-5 holes.
Southern Nazarene's Derek Dickson finished three strokes back following a 72 on Tuesday, while Northeastern State's Joby Dutcher and Ryan Villareal of St. Mary's tied for third at one-under. Lovins shared fifth-place honors with Texas Wesleyan's Dan Hahn. All six players were included in the all-tournament team.
THE TERRITORY COLLEGIATE CLASSIC
March 14-15 - Duncan, OK - Par 72 - 7,110 yards
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
1. Southern Nazarene 285 - 300 = 585 (+9)
2. Southwestern Oklahoma 298 - 290 = 588 (+12)
3. Cameron University 301 - 294 = 595 (+19)
4. Washburn University 291 - 308 = 599 (+23)
5. Texas Wesleyan 298 - 304 = 602 (+26)
6. St. Mary's (Texas) 307 - 298 = 605 (+29)
7. East Central 298 - 309 = 607 (+31)
8. St. Edward's 307 - 303 = 610 (+34)
9. West Texas A&M 303 - 313 = 616 (+40)
10. Northeastern State 302 - 315 = 617 (+41)
11. Arkansas Tech 304 - 321 = 625 (+49)
Central Missouri State 307 - 318 = 625
13. Missouri Western 318 - 320 = 638 (+62)
14. Pittsburg State 334 - 328 = 662 (+86)
15. Dallas Baptist 332 - 345 = 677 (+101)
INDIVIDUAL TOP 10
1. Brian Hostetler, SWOSU 70 - 69 = 139 (-5)
2. Derek Dickson, SNU 70 - 72 = 142 (-2)
3. Ryan Villareal, STM 72 - 71 = 143 (-1)
Joby Dutcher, NSU 70 - 73 = 143
5. Dan Hahn, TWU 72 - 72 = 144 (E)
Travis Lovins, CU 74 - 70 = 144
7. Owen Mahaffey, CU 73 - 72 = 145 (+1)
Blake Trimble, SNU 70 - 75 = 145
9. Greg Koch, SWOSU 77 - 69 = 146 (+2)
10. Jon Sauer, CMSU 72 - 75 = 147 (+3)
Brian Ault, SNU 71 - 76 = 147
