HOUSTON - Abilene Christian men's golf tied for fifth place amongst 14 teams at the Bayou City Collegiate Classic on Monday and Tuesday, marking its third-best performance at the event in nine trips.
Thomas Buisson matched his career high while leading the Wildcats individually in a tie for 16th place at Westwood Golf Club.
ACU closed at 13-over 877, breaking out of a tie with Western Athletic Conference companion UT Arlington. The Wildcats collected 47 birdies, good for fourth-most in the field, and shot fourth-best on par 4 holes at 14-over.
ACU was one of three teams to have each golfer in its lineup finish within the top 50, as each Wildcat bettered their placements from the season-opening JT Poston Invitational.
Host Rice captured the team title at 25-under 839, while Houston's Grant Doggett finished atop of the individual leaderboard at 15-under 201. He set tournament records for score to par, 54-hole score and margin of victory.
Buisson powered the Wildcats for the second time this season after tying for 22nd at the JT Poston Invitational. The Bordeaux, France product shot an even-par 216, tying both his career-best score and placement in 54 holes.
Buisson carded a 2-under 70 in Monday's second round and closed the tournament with a 1-under 71 in Tuesday's final round to rise five spots. He tied for fifth in the field on par 4s at 2-under and totaled 10 birdies, half of which came in the second round.
Jack Hollingsed followed in a tie for 36th place at 6-over 222. He shot 1-under 71 in the second round, then rebounded from a 4-over on the third round's front nine with even par on the back nine. Hollingsed led ACU on par 5s at 3-under.
Tres Hill tied for 41st place at 7-over 223 and was the lone Wildcat with an eagle, doing so on No. 2 in the second round. He shot 1-over 145 through two rounds.
Colin Leonard logged an even-par 72 on Tuesday, rising 10 spots to 46th place at 8-over 224. He rebounded from a 9-over 81 first round by scoring 1-under 71 in the second round with seven birdies. Leonard tied for sixth in the field with 13 total birdies.
Grégoire Hoyeau was right behind Leonard in a draw for 47th place at 9-over 225 to round out ACU's lineup. He registered nine birdies.
Preston DeFriend, competing as an individual in his first outing of the season, tied for 72nd place at 17-over 233.
ACU continues its fall slate on Oct. 5-7 at the Trinity Forest Invitational, hosted by SMU at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas.
