The golf team concluded its regular season in a disappointing fashion finishing in 14th place at Lipscomb’s Ryan Hospitality Intercollegiate.
ACU completed the tournament 23 shots back of 13th place Samford. The Wildcats shot 96-over-par as a team carding rounds of 314-315-319 for a total of 948.
Junior Garrett Glanton and freshman Alex Clouse finished the highest individually tied for 64th. Glanton shot 81-75-79, while Clouse carded 75-80-80 both totaling 235.
Rice stole first place overall shooting only eight-over-par for the tournament with round totals of 288-283-289 (860). The host of the tournament, Lipscomb University, finished close behind in second by five strokes shooting 290-290-285 (865).
Head Coach Tom Shaw said his team struggled from the tee box.
“Primarily, we did not hit the ball very accurately off the tee,” Shaw said. “On a course like that it required a certain level of accuracy which we did not have that week, so we were always playing catch-up and on the defensive side instead of being on the offensive end.”
With the regular season coming to an end, the team will now compete in the Southland Conference Championship in its first year of postseason eligibility. Every eligible team in the conference will be able to participate with no qualification standards being set.
The winner of the tournament will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Div. 1 Men’s Golf Championship. In the case of a player winning first individually and not being apart of the top team, the individual will also receive an invitation to the championship.
Shaw said the team is keeping its head held high going into the Southland tournament.
“The good thing about golf is that past performances do not equate to future successes,” Shaw said. “We will wipe the slate clean and get very excited and positive about the possibility of bringing home a Southland Conference trophy next week.”
The tournament will take place in McKinney at the Dye Course at Stonebridge Ranch Country Club. It will begin Monday, April 23 and last until Wednesday, April 25. Tee times will start at 7:30 a.m every day.
