Men’s Golf Heads To California Again For Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate

PALM DESERT, Calif. – Coming off a season-best score to open the spring season with a 5th-place finish at the Bayou City Collegiate Classic last week, the UT Arlington men's golf team heads to the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate this Wednesday-Friday, Mar. 1-3, from the Classic Course.

The three-day, 54-hole tournament will feature one round each day. First round tee times for UTA were originally scheduled for 9:20-10 a.m. Central (7:20-8 local Pacific), however, due to expected windy and rainy conditions the field will now begin with a shotgun start at 10:30 Central (8:30 PST).

The Mavericks will utilize the same lineup as they did last week:

UTA LINEUP
1) Hiroki Miya – Hole 5
2) Alberto Menacho – Hole 6
3) Caleb Hicks – Hole 7
4) Daniel Cronje – Hole 8B
5) Zak Jones – Hole 8A

TOURNAMENT HISTORY
This will be UTA's 10th appearance at the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate; last year the Mavs placed T-9. UTA's best finish came in 2019 when it tied for 5th.

PARTICIPATING TEAMS
Wyoming, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Northridge, Colorado, Fresno State, Hawai'i, Sacramento State, Southern Utah, Tarleton, Texas State, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, UT Arlington, Utah and Utah Tech

ENTERING ON FORM
UTA heads to California for the second time this year (season opener at Fresno State in September) looking to place top 5 in its third-straight tournament, which hasn't been done since spring of 2017. Last week outside Houston, that lineup quintet signed for eight under-par rounds out of a possible 15, and each member contributed at least one under-par performance as part of a UTA season-best 858 54-hole total – 12 better than its previous low.

LINEUP INFORMATION
Miya, who has now qualified for seven-straight tournaments, struggled in the 1st round of the Bayou City Classic but quickly regained form and posted consecutive 71s (-1) over the final two rounds. The New Zealand native currently leads the Mavs in scoring average (72.65), and he will be looking to bounce back on the Classic Club Course as his first appearance last March was cut short with an ankle injury.

Menacho struggled in the first two rounds in the Bayou City, posting a 79 and 83. However, that didn't deter the Peruvian as he finished the tournament with a final round 1-under 71. Menacho (75.92 scoring average) has struggled to find consistency so far, but a collegiate debut at the Classic Club could help.

Hicks, the fifth year, started the spring season on fire as he co-led UTA with an opening-round 68 at the Bayou City. Unfortunately, poor performances in the final two rounds derailed that hot start. Still, Hicks (74.12 scoring average) has five rounds at or below par this season and is tied for 2nd on the squad in rounds in the 60s with two. This will be his fourth appearance at the Classic Club.

South African Cronje had his best performance of the year last week posting a 6-under 210 (69, 69, 72) to finish in a tie for 6th. He currently leads the Mavs in rounds in the 60s with three and is 2nd in par-or-better rounds with seven, helping comprise his 73.29 scoring average – which also ranks 2nd on the team.

Graduate student Jones (73.88 scoring average) was in the running for medalist last week, but unfortunately a 76 in the final round caused a drop on the leaderboard. Before this year, Jones's best finish was 14th, which came in the 2019-20 season. However, so far this year half of his tournament finishes have already eclipsed that (T-3, T-7, T-12).

NEXT UP
The Mavs will travel to North Carolina for their debut in the ECU Intercollegiate Mar. 20-21 from Brook Valley Country Club, where an exhibition match between Ben Hogan and Sam Snead took place in 1966.

ABOUT TEXAS RANGERS GOLF CLUB
Opened in February of 2019, the state-of-the-art Texas Rangers Golf Club is the new home of UTA's men's and women's golf programs. The world's only Major League Baseball-branded golf course, TRGC is the result of a $24 million renovation and updated routing of the former Chester W. Ditto Golf Course.

The Home of UTA Golf was designed by UTA alumni John Colligan and Trey Kemp of Arlington-based Colligan Golf Design. It features an expansive 23-acre practice area, and a new 33,871-square-foot clubhouse features a full-service restaurant and bar, covered patio overlooking the golf course, pro shop, locker rooms and numerous rental and event spaces. For more information about TRGC, click here.

FOLLOW THE MAVS SOCIALLY
For up-to-date news, photos and videos of the UTA men's golf program, follow us on Twitter: @UTAMavsMGolf, Instagram: @UTAMavsMGolf and Facebook: /UTAMavsMGolf.

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Players Mentioned

Daniel Cronje

Caleb Hicks

Zak Jones

Alberto Menacho

Hiroki Miya

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