BLANCO, Texas -- University of Dallas captured its first-ever SCAC title in any sport Tuesday afternoon as the Crusaders made history, winning the 2019 Men's Golf Championship in wire-to-wire fashion at the par-72, 6,864-yard Vaaler Creek Golf Club in Blanco, Texas. Official Championship Website | Results | Day Two Photo Gallery | Interview with Dallas Head Coach Garrett Smith & Junior Erik Hamm | Interview with TLU Senior Colin Uecker
Dallas entered the final round with a seven shot lead following identical opening team rounds of 295 and closed out the championship with a third-round team score of 296 to finish with a cumulative three-day total of 886 (+22). Prior to this year's event, Dallas had never finished higher than fourth at the SCAC Men's Golf Championships.
Dallas finished two shots clear of both Southwestern (301-305-284) and Texas Lutheran (301-296-293) who finished tied for second with a three-round total of 890 (+24). The Pirates and Bulldogs made a charge firing the two lowest team rounds of the championship in the final round, including Southwestern's four-under 284, but ultimately could not make up the cushion the Crusaders had built over the first two rounds.
Dallas, Southwestern and Texas Lutheran were followed in the final men's team standings by Schreiner in fourth with a 907 (315-302-290), Trinity in fifth with 918 (311-316-291), Centenary in sixth with 963 (328-322-291) and Johnson & Wales competition in its first-ever SCAC golf championship finished seventh with 1,043 (349-350-344).
The Crusaders led the entire field in both team birdies (43) and eagles (3), taking advantage of the par 5s combining to post 14-under par throughout the tournament with a team scoring average of 4.77 on those holes. Junior Erik Hamm and sophomore Emilio Montalvo led the way for Dallas individually as the duo finished in a three-way tie for second with a three-round total of 217. Montalvo and Hamm each opened their final round with an eagle on the first and finished the tournament with 10 and eight birdies, respectively.
Individually, Texas Lutheran senior Colin Uecker earned 2019 SCAC medalist honors after he fired a five-under par 54-hole score of 211 (71-70-70). His 54-hole total is the second lowest in SCAC history, and the Kerrville, Texas is just the second Bulldog to claim SCAC medalist honors, joining Adam Peterson, who accomplished the feat in 2015. The lone golfer in the field to finish under par, Uecker tied for the most birdies posted (12) and finished tied for the best par-five scoring average (4.33) to combine for eight-under par on the 12 par-fives during the championship.
Joining Uecker, Hamm and Montalvo on the All-SCAC first team was Trinity junior Peyton Bartee finishing tied for second with 217 strokes and Schreiner senior Jake Bell in fifth with 221 strokes.
Since the SCAC doesn't have an automatic bid, conference teams and individuals will await word of at-large selections when the NCAA makes that announcement on Monday, May 6th.
1. Colin Uecker, Texas Lutheran - 71 - 70 - 70 -- 211
T2. Peyton Bartee, Trinity - 73 - 76 - 68 -- 217
T2. Erik Hamm, Dallas - 75 - 71 - 71 -- 217
T2. Emilio Montalvo, Dallas - 72 - 72 - 73 -- 217
5. Jake Bell, Schreiner - 75 - 75 - 71 -- 221
2019 All-SCAC Men's Golf Second Team
T6. Christopher Cameron, Schreiner - 74 - 78 - 71 -- 223
T6. Devon Horne, Southwestern - 72 - 81 - 70 -- 223
T6. Sutherland Stith, Southwestern - 77 - 76 - 70 -- 223
T6. Jacob Wade, Dallas - 71 - 76 - 76 -- 223
T10. Matthew Christl, Southwestern - 76 - 77 - 71 -- 224
T10. Nathan Haley, Texas Lutheran - 73 - 76 - 75 -- 224
13. Cade Osgood, Southwestern - 82 - 71 - 73 -- 226
2019 SCAC Men's Golf Tournament Medalist
Colin Uecker, Texas Lutheran University
