Kats hit stretch run, visit Border Olympics
3/10/2016 6:14:00 PM | Men's Golf
With just two tournaments remaining until the Southland Conference Championship, the Sam Houston State men's golf program is looking to build some momentum this weekend at the two-day, 54-hole Border Olympics in Laredo, Texas.
The tournament begins Friday from the par-72, 7,125-yard Laredo Country Club, a venue the Bearkats took third at against a contested field a season ago. This go-around, the 18-team field boasts six top-100 teams led by No. 37 and host Houston.
“This is the fourth event in a row where we face higher ranked schools,” fourth-year head coach Brandt Kieschnick said. “We enjoy playing against the best. We look at it as an opportunity to showcase what we can do. We practiced on (the course) today. This year it's rainy and soft. They all were soaking it in and we talked about how we had success on this golf course last year.”
In its last competition, Sam Houston took fifth at the Southwestern Jones Invitational in Westlake Village, Calif. The Bearkats fired a team score of 282, the lowest among the 15-team field, on the final day, led by redshirt junior Andrew Ertel who took 10th at 1-under, 215.
The result marked the best finish of the season for Ertel since a second-place finisher in the fall opener at the Sam Hall Intercollegiate. It was also Ertel's fifth top-10 finish in two seasons for since joining the Sam Houston program.
Teammates Jake McCory and Camden DeBonis each vaulted up the leaderboard after impressive final rounds. McCrory, who entered the day in 33rd, shot 73-76-70 to finish 3-over, 219, in a 25th place finisher. The sophomore has boasted his best tournaments in the last two outings, following up a 26th place All-American Intercollegiate with another impressive outing.
Meanwhile, DeBonis, who entered the final day in a tie for 40th, etched his way up to finish in a five-way tie for 26th, highlighted by a third-round 70. The freshman shot 74 and 77 during his first two rounds and finished at 4-over, 220. The result marks DeBonis's best finish since taking 11th at the Herb Wimberly Intercollegiate in October.
“We're coming off a really good finish,” Kieschnick said. “I know the guys are excited to get back out in competition and keep the momentum going.”
The Kats are seeking to add on to the success at a course they posted a second-round 8-under, 276, a mark tied for the fifth lowest team total. The Kats 3-day, 7-under, 857, is the 11th lowest score in program history. McCrory finished tied for 11th and his second-round 69 was the best of the weekend.
Uniquely enough, Kieschnick has earned his own share of success at the course as a Sam Houston player. The Bearkats head man shot a 6-under, 66 during a single round in 1997, tied for the eighth lowest single round in team history.
“It really hasn't changed,” Kieschnick said of the course. “As a former player, I loved coming down here. I told some of the guys how the course played. Having been in their shoes, it helps to have played it and having a chance to win. Not just me, but Sam Houston has had a lot of success.”
Live scoring is available through golfstatresults.com and final results will be posted at the conclusion of each day on GoBearkats.com.
“I think everyone is improving and getting better,” Kieschnick said. “I think everything is shaping up for them to compete as we head down the stretch. They have worked hard all year.”
