Oct. 2, 2010
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico men’s golf team flirted with its 10th team title at the 56th annual William H. Tucker held at the UNM Championship Golf Course Saturday, coming up two strokes short of eventual champion San Diego State.
The Lobos held a slim 1-stroke lead over Day 1 leader North Texas at the turn, but a tremendous finish from the Aztecs overtook both schools. San Diego State claimed the team title with a 10-over-par 291-292-291=874, one stroke better than the Mean Green (295-281-299=875, +11) and two better than New Mexico (292-288-296=876, +12).
Individually, both Sam Chavez and Travis Ross notched their second consecutive top-10 finish, each tying for 10th at 3-over. Chavez carded a 2-over 74 to finish with a 75-70-74=219, while Ross posted a 1-under 71 to close with a 75-73-71=219. Ross is coming off a second-place finish at the Mark Simpson last week, where Chavez finished tied for 5th.
Tom Carlson and John Catlin also finished in the top 20, with Carlson tying for 16th with a 5-over 75-71-75=221 and Catlin finishing tied for 18th with a 6-over 72-74-76=22.
New Lobo Tom Richardson finished 26th in his New Mexico debut, shooting an 8-over 76-74-74=224. Sam Saunders, playing in his second event as a Lobo, finished tied for 32nd with a 9-over 75-74-76=225.
Another member of New Mexico’s squad new to the team in 2010, Ryan Barry finished tied for 36th with a 10-over 71-74-81=226, while junior Shane McDonald tied for 40th with an 11-over 72-77-78=227.
Ryan Gay closed the Tucker tied for 59th with a 70-85-77=232, while Alex Estrada, also new to the Lobos in 2010, finished with in a tied for 70th with a 22-over 78-79-81=238.
Pepperdine’s Andrew Putnam, New Mexico State’s Joon Heui Lee and North Texas’ Carlos Ortiz tied for medalist honors, each finishing at 4-under.
The Lobos will take a couple of weeks off before returning to action at the Alister MacKenzie Invitational in Fairfax, Calif., Monday, Oct. 18.