Sunday, April 23
Pelican Golf Club – Belleair, Fla.
University of Houston
vs
American Athletic Conference Championships
Photo by: Ben Solomon
CHAMPIONS! Men’s Golf Sweeps Team & Individual Crowns
4/23/2023 2:52:00 PM | Men's Golf
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Cougars take team title by 12 strokes; Santiago De La Fuente, Austyn Reily finish 1-2 in individual standings
BELLEAIR, Fla. – Posting a score of 9-under 831 over three days, the University of Houston Men's Golf program was crowned as the American Athletic Conference champions at Pelican Golf Club on Sunday afternoon.
The Cougars finished Sunday's round with a score of 281, their first team round over par in the annual postseason event.
But, after building a 10-stroke lead through 36 holes, Houston didn't need a low number to capture the program's first team conference championship since 2013 and its second under Director of Golf Jonathan Dismuke.
For the first time since 2000, the Cougars finished 1-2 in the individual standings with junior Santiago De La Fuente earning medalist honors with a score of 10-under 200.
Senior teammate Austyn Reily finished second at 204.
The two Cougars were tied throughout much of the Final Round before De La Fuente used four birdies on the back nine to capture his second individual title of the season.
Starting the day off No. 1, De La Fuente rebounded from a bogey on No. 2 with a birdie at No. 8 and another on No. 11.
Following his final bogey of the tournament at No. 12, the Guadalajara, Mexico, native drained a birdie on the par-5 14th hole to grab a 2-stroke lead. After a par on No. 15, De La Fuente seized medalist honors with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 16-17.
De La Fuente and Reily became the first Cougars to finish 1-2 at a conference championships since Andy Sanders earned medalist honors and B.J. Staten finished second at the 2000 Conference USA Championships at The Club at Hidden Creek in Navarre, Fla., on April 17-19, 2000.
Starting off No. 1, Reily overcame a double bogey-5 on the third hole and returned to even par with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 7-8. After a bogey on No. 10 to start his back nine, the Pottsboro, Texas, native returned to even par with a birdie on No. 12.
Reily then capped his tournament with a birdie on the par-4 18th hole to earn his career-best finish. He opened The American Championships on Friday with a 64, thanks to three eagles, setting the program's low round in a conference tournament.
Super senior Braxton Watkins tied for 17th with a score of 215 while sophomore Wolfgang Glawe tied for 22nd at 216. Sophomore Jacob Borow tied for 31st at 218.
#40 Cincinnati finished second with a 54-hole team score of 843 while SMU came in third at 844. UCF (845), Memphis (848), South Florida (850), East Carolina (860), Wichita State (871) and Temple (875) rounded out the field.
On the individual leaderboard, Cincinnati's Ryan Ford and East Carolina's Lucas Augustusson tied for third at 206 while Temple's Ethan Whitney came in fifth at 208. Esteban Vazquez (Memphis) and William Sides (SMU) tied for sixth and were the only other student-athletes to finish the tournament under par.
COUGAR SWEEPSTAKES REGISTRATION
Houston Athletics fans are invited to register in the Cougar Sweepstakes presented by Mizzen+Main.
One fan who registers at uhcougars.com/mgolfsweepstakes will receive a free round to play with Dismuke at beautiful Bluejack National in Montgomery, Texas, as well as a $1,000 gift card from Mizzen+Main.
Fans are invited to submit their information on the registration page. The contest will end at 11:59 p.m., May 3, with the winner to be announced May 8.
UP NEXT
Following the American Athletic Conference Championships, Houston looks to compete in NCAA Regional play. The 2023 NCAA Regionals will be held at six sites across the nation on May 15-17: Auburn University Club (Auburn, Ala.); Eagle Eye (Bath, Michigan); Bear's Best Las Vegas (Las Vegas); The Institute Golf Club (Morgan Hill, Calif.); Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club (Norman, Okla.) and The Cliffs at Keowee Falls (Salem, S.C.).
The Top Five teams and the low individual not on a qualifying team at each NCAA Regional will advance to the NCAA Championships set for May 26-31 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.
The Cougars will learn their NCAA postseason fate during the NCAA Selection Show. That show will air at Noon, Wednesday, May 3, on Golf Channel.
SUPPORT HOUSTON RISE
Join Houston Rise, a $150 million fundraising campaign for Houston Athletics dedicated to championship success in the Big 12 Conference.
Every Houston Rise contribution prepares our Cougars to compete and win when we start Big 12 competition in July 2023. Click here to rise and be counted.
JOIN PROJECT 17
Fans are invited to join Project 17 to support Houston Men's Golf. Project members provide financial support directly to Houston Men's Golf for needs beyond the program's operating budget.
For information about Project 17 or to join, fans can click here.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMGolf on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarMGolf. Fans also can follow the team on Instagram at uhcougarmgolf.
– UHCougars.com –
The Cougars finished Sunday's round with a score of 281, their first team round over par in the annual postseason event.
But, after building a 10-stroke lead through 36 holes, Houston didn't need a low number to capture the program's first team conference championship since 2013 and its second under Director of Golf Jonathan Dismuke.
For the first time since 2000, the Cougars finished 1-2 in the individual standings with junior Santiago De La Fuente earning medalist honors with a score of 10-under 200.
Senior teammate Austyn Reily finished second at 204.
The two Cougars were tied throughout much of the Final Round before De La Fuente used four birdies on the back nine to capture his second individual title of the season.
Starting the day off No. 1, De La Fuente rebounded from a bogey on No. 2 with a birdie at No. 8 and another on No. 11.
Following his final bogey of the tournament at No. 12, the Guadalajara, Mexico, native drained a birdie on the par-5 14th hole to grab a 2-stroke lead. After a par on No. 15, De La Fuente seized medalist honors with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 16-17.
De La Fuente and Reily became the first Cougars to finish 1-2 at a conference championships since Andy Sanders earned medalist honors and B.J. Staten finished second at the 2000 Conference USA Championships at The Club at Hidden Creek in Navarre, Fla., on April 17-19, 2000.
Starting off No. 1, Reily overcame a double bogey-5 on the third hole and returned to even par with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 7-8. After a bogey on No. 10 to start his back nine, the Pottsboro, Texas, native returned to even par with a birdie on No. 12.
Reily then capped his tournament with a birdie on the par-4 18th hole to earn his career-best finish. He opened The American Championships on Friday with a 64, thanks to three eagles, setting the program's low round in a conference tournament.
Super senior Braxton Watkins tied for 17th with a score of 215 while sophomore Wolfgang Glawe tied for 22nd at 216. Sophomore Jacob Borow tied for 31st at 218.
#40 Cincinnati finished second with a 54-hole team score of 843 while SMU came in third at 844. UCF (845), Memphis (848), South Florida (850), East Carolina (860), Wichita State (871) and Temple (875) rounded out the field.
On the individual leaderboard, Cincinnati's Ryan Ford and East Carolina's Lucas Augustusson tied for third at 206 while Temple's Ethan Whitney came in fifth at 208. Esteban Vazquez (Memphis) and William Sides (SMU) tied for sixth and were the only other student-athletes to finish the tournament under par.
COUGAR SWEEPSTAKES REGISTRATION
Houston Athletics fans are invited to register in the Cougar Sweepstakes presented by Mizzen+Main.
One fan who registers at uhcougars.com/mgolfsweepstakes will receive a free round to play with Dismuke at beautiful Bluejack National in Montgomery, Texas, as well as a $1,000 gift card from Mizzen+Main.
Fans are invited to submit their information on the registration page. The contest will end at 11:59 p.m., May 3, with the winner to be announced May 8.
UP NEXT
Following the American Athletic Conference Championships, Houston looks to compete in NCAA Regional play. The 2023 NCAA Regionals will be held at six sites across the nation on May 15-17: Auburn University Club (Auburn, Ala.); Eagle Eye (Bath, Michigan); Bear's Best Las Vegas (Las Vegas); The Institute Golf Club (Morgan Hill, Calif.); Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club (Norman, Okla.) and The Cliffs at Keowee Falls (Salem, S.C.).
The Top Five teams and the low individual not on a qualifying team at each NCAA Regional will advance to the NCAA Championships set for May 26-31 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.
The Cougars will learn their NCAA postseason fate during the NCAA Selection Show. That show will air at Noon, Wednesday, May 3, on Golf Channel.
SUPPORT HOUSTON RISE
Join Houston Rise, a $150 million fundraising campaign for Houston Athletics dedicated to championship success in the Big 12 Conference.
Every Houston Rise contribution prepares our Cougars to compete and win when we start Big 12 competition in July 2023. Click here to rise and be counted.
JOIN PROJECT 17
Fans are invited to join Project 17 to support Houston Men's Golf. Project members provide financial support directly to Houston Men's Golf for needs beyond the program's operating budget.
For information about Project 17 or to join, fans can click here.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMGolf on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarMGolf. Fans also can follow the team on Instagram at uhcougarmgolf.
– UHCougars.com –
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