March 26, 2005
LAREDO, Texas - The UTA men's golf team went to Laredo in hopes of securing their first NCAA regional team berth since 2001-02.
Two days and 54 holes of golf later, the Mavericks found themselves one step closer to the goal.
A second day round of 292 was good enough for the Mavs to capture third place at the 54th Annual Border Olympics at the Laredo Country Club and keep UTA squarely in the hunt for one of six spots for the upcoming NCAA regional tournament at South Bend, Ind., May 19-21.
"We're not out it," said UTA head coach Jay Rees referring to the NCAA tournament. "We eliminated Houston and we gave ourselves a chance."
UTA posted its eighth top-four finish this year, the first time that has happend since the 1998-99 team.
Once again, balance was the key for UTA. Two players - Jeff Murray (Odessa, Texas) and Tyrone Mordt (Johannesburg, South Africa) - posted top five finishes with 54-hole totals of 217 to tie for fourth place. It was the second straight tournament that two Mavs have finished in the top five. Two weeks ago, Jordan Krantz and Murray tied for fifth at The Cleveland/Palmetto Intercollegiate with 217 scores.
Marc Campbell (Southlake, Texas), competing as a medalist, took 14th place with a 72-74-73-219. Krantz (Vermillion Bay, Canada) had a final round 74 after a 75-72 opening day to finish 221. Bryan Baker (Whitehouse, Texas) and Zach Reeves (Mansfield, Texas) tied for 37th with a 225. Baker recovered today with a one-over-par 73 after back-to-back 76s on Friday. Reeves finished with a 78 after a 76 and 71 Friday.
Baylor won the tournament with a 12-under-par 852. The Bears posted the three lowest team rounds of the tournament - 286, 284 and 282. Lamar jumped from fourth to second on the final day with a final round of one-over-par 289 and finished at 875. UTA was one stroke back at 875 followed by Michigan State (879) and Houston (882).
UTA returns to action April 2 at the LSU Invitational at the University Club in Baton Rouge, La. The Southland Conference Championships are April 25-27 in Kingwood, Texas.
