University of Houston
White Sands Invitational
Houston Captures White Sands Championship
11/3/2019 12:43:00 PM | Men's Golf
Junior Luke Long finishes third at 13-under 203, four Cougars among Top-20 leaders
| Scoring | Final Results | Schedule |
|---|
| Team | Rounds | Score | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | F | |||
| 1. | #39 Houston | 276 | 281 | 276 | 833 | -31 |
| 2. | Florida State | 275 | 288 | 277 | 840 | -24 |
| 3. | #22 Arkansas | 279 | 288 | 275 | 842 | -22 |
| 4. | #1 Wake Forest | 282 | 282 | 279 | 843 | -21 |
| 5. | #46 UAB | 285 | 282 | 277 | 844 | -20 |
| 6. | Miami (Ohio) | 282 | 283 | 285 | 850 | -14 |
| t7. | #2 SMU | 278 | 288 | 286 | 852 | -12 |
| t7. | Illinois State | 287 | 285 | 280 | 852 | -12 |
| 9. | Wisconsin | 287 | 284 | 286 | 857 | -7 |
| 10. | Georgia Southern | 286 | 294 | 282 | 862 | -2 |
| 11. | Northern Illinois | 287 | 288 | 288 | 863 | -1 |
| 12. | Middle Tennessee | 279 | 295 | 292 | 866 | +2 |
| 13. | Georgia State | 292 | 292 | 288 | 872 | +8 |
| 14. | Louisiana Tech | 300 | 288 | 287 | 875 | +11 |
| HOUSTON LEADERS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | F | |||
| 3. | Luke Long | 68 | 69 | 66 | 203 | -13 |
| t6. | Alexander Frances | 71 | 68 | 68 | 207 | -9 |
| t11. | George Gardner | 68 | 72 | 70 | 210 | -6 |
| t19. | Braxton Watkins (Ind.) | 71 | 73 | 67 | 211 | -5 |
| t40. | Andrew Gibson | 72 | 72 | 72 | 216 | E |
| t61. | Logan Young | 69 | 75 | 76 | 216 | E |
| t73. | Matt Cole (Ind.) | 70 | 76 | 79 | 225 | +9 |
| OVERALL LEADERS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | F | |||
| 1. | Parker Gillam (Ind.) Wake Forest |
60 | 73 | 66 | 199 | -17 |
| 2. | Jordan Less Northern Illinois |
68 | 69 | 65 | 202 | -14 |
| 3. | Luke Long Houston |
68 | 69 | 66 | 203 | -13 |
| t4. | #12 David Perkins Illinois State |
68 | 73 | 65 | 206 | -10 |
| t4. | #94 Julian Perico Arkansas |
67 | 69 | 70 | 206 | -10 |
NASSAU, Bahamas – The University of Houston Men's Golf program capped its fall season in impressive fashion on Sunday afternoon, capturing the team championship at the White Sands Invitational at Ocean Club.
Competing on the 7,159-yard, par-72 course, Houston fired a team score of 12-under 276 to finish the three-day, 54-hole tournament at 31-under 833. The 39th-ranked Cougars finished seven shots ahead of Florida State and nine strokes in front of No. 22 Arkansas.
No. 1 Wake Forest (843), No. 46 UAB (844), Miami (Ohio) (850), No. 2 SMU (852), Illinois State (852), Wisconsin (857) and Georgia Southern (862) rounded out the Top 10 leaders.
Now in his 11th season, Director of Golf Jonathan Dismuke led the Cougars to the 16th team championship of his career at Houston and first title since the Colin Montgomerie Invitational on Feb. 29-March 1, 2016.
Junior Luke Long recorded a career-low-tying 66 to lead the Cougars and finished third at 13-under 203. Starting his day off No. 1, Long birdied two of his first three holes and added two birdies in a 3-hole stretch late on his front nine.
After sinking back-to-back birdies on Nos. 12-13, the Fayetteville, Ark., native overcame his first bogey of the day on No. 14 with another set of consecutive birdies on Nos. 15-16.
Long equaled his career low round, set in the Final Round of the Ryman Hospitality Intercollegiate on April 10, 2018, during his sophomore season at Chattanooga.
Wake Forest's Parker Gillam earned medalist honors with a score of 199 to finish three shots ahead of Northern Illinois' Jordan Less.
Junior Alexander Frances posted a 68 for the second straight day and tied for ninth at 207. Frances began his Final Round off No. 2 and alternated birdie-par through his first six holes.
He overcame bogeys on No. 12 and No. 14 with a birdie sandwiched between and drained birdies on two of his final three holes for his third straight Top-20 finish to end the fall season.
Senior George Gardner posted a 70 in Sunday's Final Round and tied for 11th overall at 210. The Southlake, Texas, native began play with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 2-3.
Gardner endured bogeys on No 7 and No. 12 but closed out his tournament with birdies on No. 13 and No. 15 for his fourth straight Top-20 finish in the fall.
Sophomore Braxton Watkins competed as an individual and used seven birdies in his Final Round to surge into a tie for 18th at 211, thanks to a career-best 67.
Starting his day off No. 1, the Winthrop, Ark., native sank birdies on Nos. 2-3 and fought through a bogey on No. 3 with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 5-6.
Watkins overcame a bogey on No. 11 to make birdies on two of his final three holes. With Sunday's score, he topped his previous 18-hole low, set with a 69 during the Second Round of the Border Olympics on March 11, 2019.
Junior Andrew Gibson shot 72 for the third straight day and tied for 40th at 216, while senior Logan Young tied for 61st at 220. Competing as an individual, senior Matt Cole tied for 73rd at 225.
This marked the end of a busy week for Houston Golf in the Bahamas. Houston Women's Golf hosted its own White Sands Invitational on Monday through Wednesday at the Ocean Club.
UP NEXT
Following the White Sands Invitational, the Cougars will take a break from competition before opening the spring season at their own All-American Intercollegiate at Golf Club of Houston in Humble, Texas, on Feb. 16-18, 2020.
It will be the first of four tournaments, which the Cougars host, including the Border Olympics (Feb. 24-25), Cabo Collegiate (March 1-3) and Valspar Collegiate Invitational (March 16-17).
STAY CONNECTED
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Players Mentioned
