BULLARD – Shooting the lowest team score among the eight teams at the Eagle's Bluff Country Club on Tuesday, the Texas A&M University-Commerce men's golf team fell just a stroke short of winning the King-Alfred Invitational to finish third and won the third place match in the bracketed match play as well.
 
The Lions totaled a score of 285 on Tuesday to finish with a score of 871, after rounds of two rounds of 293 in each round on Monday. Midwestern State and UT Tyler tied for first with 870 strokes. The Mustangs won the playoff tiebreaker for the stroke play win. In the third place match, the Lions won three of the five matches against the Mustangs. The Patriots won the match play crown.

"Today was a good round for us," said coach Ryan Hand. "I am proud of how we fought back to have a chance to win. We will keep working hard and learning."  
 
Zach Burch (Lubbock – Cooper) shot a 67 in the final round to finish the tournament third with a score of 213 (74-72-67), climbing nine spots on the player leaderboard on Tuesday. He finished three strokes behind the champion, Mauricio Figueroa from Texas A&M International. Kittiphong Phaithuncharoensuk (Phuket, Thailand) finished a stroke behind Burch with a score of 214 (74-71-69) for fourth place.

Hand added, "Congratulations to Zach and Kittiphong on their top five finishes." 
 
Improving his third round score by five strokes, Simon Haas (Lorch, Germany) tied for 23^rd place with a score of 226 (75-78-73). Nathan McCulloch (Edinburgh, Scotland) ended the tournament in tie for 18^th place carding rounds of 70, 76, 76, respectively for a total of 222. Tripp Wallace (Lubbock – Frenship) placed 37^th with a score of 233 (76-74-83).
 
UP NEXT
The Lions head to Denton for the DBU Patriot Classic next week, April 4-5 in the final tournament before the Lone Star Conference Championships.
 
THE BRACKET
First Round
No. 1 Oklahoma Christian 4, No. 8 Lubbock Christian 0
No. 4 A&M-Commerce 4, No. 5 Dallas Baptist 1
No. 2 Midwestern State 3, No. 7 Texas A&M International 2
No. 6 UT Tyler 2, No. 3 St. Mary's 1
 
Second Round
Winner's Bracket
No. 1 Oklahoma Christian 3, No. 4 A&M-Commerce 2
No. 6 UT Tyler 3, No. 2 Midwestern State 2
 
Consolation Bracket
No. 8 Lubbock Christian 3, No. 5 DBU 2
No. 7 Texas A&M International 3, No. 3 St. Mary's 2
 
Third Round
Winner's Bracket
Championship Match
No. 6 UT Tyler 3, No. 1 Oklahoma Christian 1
 
Third-place Match
No. 3 A&M-Commerce 3, No. 2 Midwestern State 2
 
Consolation Bracket
No. 7 Texas A&M International 4, No. 8 Lubbock Christian 1
No. 3 St. Mary's 4, No. 5 DBU 0
 
STROKE PLAY

Pos	Team	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
T1	UT Tyler	295	288	287	870
T1	Midwestern State	288	290	292	870
3	A&M-COMMERCE	293	293	285	871
4	Oklahoma Christian	290	296	294	880
5	St. Mary's	298	302	291	891
T6	DBU	306	295	297	898
T6	Texas A&M International	304	302	292	898
8	Lubbock Christian	298	291	315	904

 

3	A&M-COMMERCE	293	293	285	871
3	Zach Burch	74	72	67	213
4	Kittiphong Phaithuncharoensuk	74	71	69	214
T18	Nathan McCulloch	70	76	76	222
T23	Simon Haas	75	78	72	226
37	Tripp Wallace	76	74	83	233