April 29, 2009

FINAL SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT RESULTS

KERRVILLE, Tx. - Golf usually comes down to who makes the most putts and that was the case as UTA finished second at the Southland Conference Tournament at The Club at Comanche Trace in Kerrville, Texas.

The Mavericks trailed Lamar by five shots heading into Wednesday's final round and made up that deficit early in the round when rain and wind hampered the scoring conditions for the field. Lamar came back to take the lead at the turn and it was one they never relinquished as they claimed the conference crown.

"We just didn't make enough putts," UTA head coach Jay Rees said. "I wouldn't say that we lost this tournament, but rather that Lamar won it with some great putting."

UTA shot a nine-over 297 third round to finish with a five-over score of 869. Lamar finished 10 shots better than the Mavericks at 859. Southeastern Louisiana was third with a score of 872. It was Lamar's fourth consecutive title and seventh in the last nine years.

""We never hung our heads today when we got down," Rees added. "We competed until the last hole and I'm proud of our guys for doing that.

"I still think we have some of our best golf ahead of us," he added. "We will get another chance at the regionals in a couple of weeks and if we can play up to our potential we can make the national tournament."

UTA's Zack Fischer came into the final round as the individual leader but began his final round with a bogey and double bogey on the first two holes.

However, he righted the ship and played the last 14 holes even par to shoot 77 and make a three-way playoff with Lamar's Justin Harding and Southeastern Louisiana's Cedric Scotto with a four-under score 212.

Fischer was eliminated on the first hole of the playoff as he was unable to get up and down from the right fringe and the two other players made par.

"It could have easily gotten away from Zack today but he hung in there and made par on the last hole to get into the playoff," Rees said. "He has been our most consistent player all semester and I'm really happy for him. No one has worked harder than him this year."

"It was really difficult to play today," Fischer said. "The first nine holes it was windy and raining and I got off to a bad start but I'm proud of myself of the way I played just not today but all week."

In regulation Fischer found out he was tied for the lead going into the 17th hole where he then just missed a 25-foot birdie par on the tough, uphill par-3. "I thought I hit a good putt there but it just came up a little short."

Fischer then made a par on 18 to get into the playoff after again almost making a birdie. "I hit a really good 3-iron in there but it was a little short and I thought I hit a good putt there."

In the playoff, Fischer hit his drive on 18, the first playoff hole, into almost the same place in the fairway. He then hit his second shot right of the green that left him with a downhill chip that came up 8-feet short.

"I thought that chip would have ran a little closer to the hole but I think the grain held it up," Fischer said. "Then the putt I hit was just through the break."

After Fischer was eliminated, Scotto won the individual title on the second hole with a birdie.

As for the other Mavericks, Bobby Massa finished in a tie for eighth at two-over 218. Bryce Easton was in a tie for 11th with a four-over 220 while Kevin Carrigan was tied for 14th at five-over and Michael Van deVenter was in a tie for 25th at nine-over.

The Mavericks now have to wait until next Monday evening to find out where they will play in the NCAA Regionals which will be in two weeks.