BLANCO, Texas -- Trailing by as many as five shots down the stretch, Southwestern University staged a late comeback, fueled by the team's four scoring players combining to finish two under par on the tournament's final three holes, and the Pirates emerged with a one-shot victory over Trinity University at the 2022 Men’s Golf Championship at the par-72, 6,864-yard Vaaler Creek Golf Club in Blanco, Texas. Official Championship Website | Results | Day Two Photo Gallery
The 18th hole played the toughest all week, with players averaging almost a full shot over par each of the three rounds, so it was not surprising that the team championship would come down to who could best manage the final hole. Southwestern's four counting players all parred the signature hole at Vaaler Creek on Tuesday, including 2022 SCAC men's medalist par Christian Rodriguez, whose final putt for par proved to be the differentiator and provided the final one stroke margin.
Rodriguez' par also set up a playoff for individual medalist honors with Texas Lutheran's Tobey Wills, who shot a blistering final round 66 to thrust himself into contention for the top spot on the leaderboard. With both golfers tied at 212 (-4), and after three playoff holes (the longest men's playoff in the 54-hole championship era), a par by Rodriguez on the third time around 18 proved to be enough to take home medalist honors.
Leading Trinity by three shots following Monday's opening round, Southwestern faltered in the afternoon session and trailed the Texas Tigers by two shots entering Tuesday's final round. Trinity held the lead for much of Tuesday and appeared to be on its way to defending its team title until the last few holes ultimately decided the back and forth affair between two of the league's winningest men's golf programs.
The title is the fifth overall for the Southwestern men's program, and places them in a tie with Trinity for the fifth most by any school in SCAC history. Only former members Sewanee (13), Oglethorpe (10), Rhodes (8) and Centre (6) have more titles that the Pirates or Tigers.
Southwestern finished with a three-round total of 889 (+25) after rounds of 293, 300 and 296, one stroke clear of Trinity who fired rounds of 296, 295 and 299 to finish at 890 (+26). This marks the fifth time in the last eight conference events that Trinity has posted a runner-up finish.
Southwestern and Trinity were followed in the final men's team standings by Texas Lutheran University in third with a 901 (305-303-293). The Bulldogs' final round 293 was the low round of the day and equalled Southwestern's opening 293 as the low round of the tournament. Rounding out the team standings, Schreiner University finished fourth with a score of 904 (303-294-307), University of St. Thomas was fifth with 912 (304-308-300), University of Dallas finished sixth with 913 (303-305-305), and Centenary College placed seventh with a score of 918 (302-315-301).
Individually, Southwestern's Rodriguez captured medalist honors to mark the fourth time a Pirate men's player has taken home the tournament's top honor. Rodriguez joins Tyler Gammill, who won the award in 2016 and 2017, and Cade Osgood, who took medalist honors in 2018, as SCAC individual champions.
Rodriguez, a junior, was one of just three golfers to finish under par, firing rounds of 71, 68 and 73 to finish at 212 and four under. He finished tied with TLU's Wills, who shot rounds of 71, 75 and 66 to force a playoff. Wills' 66 is the lowest third round score in tournament history and the second-lowest single round in SCAC championship history.
The duo's three-round score of 212 is the third-lowest in championship history, only bested by Zach Oliver of Schreiner's 208 in 2014 and Colin Uecker of Texas Lutheran's 211 in 2019 (which was also contested at Vaaler Creek).
Joining Rodriguez and Wills on the All-SCAC first team was Richard Polan of Centenary, who finished third with a 215, Dallas' Jackson Lehner who placed fourth with a 216 and Schreiner's Austin O'Brien, who was fifth with a 217.
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 2.
1. Christian Rodriguez, Southwestern - 71-68-73--212
2. Tobey Wills, Texas Lutheran - 71-75-66--212
3. Richard Polan, Centenary - 71-73-71--215
4. Jackson Lehner, Dallas - 69-75-72--216
5. Austin O'Brien, Schreiner - 73-70-74--217
2022 All-SCAC Men's Golf Second Team
7. DJ Springer, Trinity - 72-70-77--219
8. Jacob Mason, Trinity - 76-72-73--221
9. Zhao Yung Gu, Schreiner - 75-72-75--222
T10. Nicholas Hoisington, Southwestern - 70-83-72--225
T10. Rex Soulliere, Dallas - 77-74-74--225
T15. Chase Maus, Texas Lutheran - 82-73-74--229
2022 SCAC Men's Golf Tournament Medalist
Christian Rodriguez, Southwestern University
