Wildcats finish 2nd at LSC tournament
ACU finishes behind UCO for best finish since '99
TROPHY CLUB -- Central Oklahoma fired a final-round 286 Tuesday to hold off ACU and win the Lone Star Conference men's golf championship at the Trophy Club.
The Bronchos, who held a six-stroke lead over ACU after Monday's first 36 holes, were able to stretch out the lead to a final 12 strokes behind the play of individual medalist runner-up Chance Cruson. The Bronchos, who won last year's tournament championship and have now won three LSC golf titles, finished with a seven-over-par total of 871, while the Wildcats finished at 19-over-par 883.
ACU finished 10 strokes better than it did last year when it shot 893 and finished sixth at the conference tournament. The second-place finish represents the Wildcats' best finish at the tournament since 1999 when they finished third. ACU -- which entered this year's tournament as one of the favorites, along with UCO, Cameron and Northeastern State -- last won the LSC golf title in 1995.
East Central finished third at 886, followed by Cameron and Northeastern State at 893, Southwestern Oklahoma State in sixth at 899, West Texas A&M in seventh at 900 and Texas A&M-Commerce in ninth at 324.
The individual medalist title went to Cameron's Ryan King, who fired an even-par 216 over the two days. He shot 2-over-par 74 on Tuesday, but still managed to hang on and win the title by one stroke over Cruson, who shot a 68 Tuesday for a 1-over-par 217.
ACU was led by seniors Brian O'Leary and Gary Pike, who finished fourth and seventh, respectively. O'Leary shot 75-73-70 for a three-round total of 2-over-par 218, while Pike shot 73-73-73 for a 3-over-par total of 219.
The Wildcats -- who are ranked 16th in the country and have won two tournaments and finished second in two others this spring -- will likely see their season continue at the NCAA Division II South Central Region tournament. That tournament will be play May 5-7 at the Turtle Point Country Club in Florence, Ala.
LONE STAR CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
Trophy Club / Trophy Club, TX / par-72 / 6,953 yards
Team totals -- 1. Central Oklahoma, 299-286-286--871 (+7); 2. Abilene Christian, 296-295-292--883 (+19); 3. East Central, 294-298-294--886 (+22); 4. (tie) Cameron, 301-300-292--893 (+29) and Northeastern State, 300-296-297--893 (+29); 6. Southwestern Oklahoma State, 304-305-290--899 (+35); 7. West Texas A&M, 301-306-293--900 (+36); 8. Texas A&M-Commerce, 303-319-302--924 (+60).
Individual medalists -- 1. Ryan King, Cameron, 70-72-74--216 (E); 2. (tie) Chance Cruson, UCO, 73-76-68--217 (+1) and Donnie Martin, UCO, 74-67-76--217 (+1); 4.(tie) Cliff Bounds, NSU, 72-75-71--218 (+2), Brian O'Leary, ACU, 75-73-70--218 (+2) and Donnie Keim, UCO, 76-69-73--218 (+2); 7. (tie) Gary Pike, ACU, 73-73-73--219 (+3) and Andrew Bishop, ECU, 75-76-68--219 (+3); 9. Brian Hostetler, SWOSU, 76-72-72--220 (+4); 10. Jimmy Jameson, WTAM, 74-76-71--221 (+5).
ACU totals (296-295-292--883) -- t-4. Brian O'Leary, 75-73-70--218 (+2); t-7. Gary Pike, 73-73-73--219 (+3); t-13. Pierre Goethals, 75-73-74--222 (+6); t-21. Todd Mack, 73-78-75--226 (+10); t-38. David Van Rycke, 81-76-81--238 (+22).
