TEXARKANA, Ark. — Led by top-five finishes from Michael Rome and Hunter Bott, the UTSA men's golf team finished third in the team standings and earned a spot in the match play competition at the Conference USA Men's Golf Championship.
The Roadrunners are the 3-seed and will face No. 2-seed Southern Miss at 8 a.m. Thursday in the semifinal round of match play at Texarkana Country Club (par 72/6,969 yards). The winner will advance to face either top-seed Florida Atlantic or 4-seed and 28th-ranked Charlotte on Thursday afternoon in the championship match.
Rome finished in third place at 4-under-par 212 and Bott was one spot and a single stroke behind his teammate in fourth at 3-under 213, as that duo landed on the all-tournament team and helped UTSA move into C-USA Match Play for the third time in the last six league championship events.
UTSA carded a 4-over 868 (285-292-291) during the 54-hole, stroke-play competition to place third, two strokes ahead of Charlotte and six shots in front of a three-way tie for fifth between Louisiana Tech, Middle Tennessee and UAB at 10-over 874. The Roadrunners ended up eight back of Southern Miss and nine behind Florida Atlantic in the final team standings.
After opening the week with a 3-under 69, Rome followed Tuesday's 71 with an even-par 72. The super senior out of Austin Westlake High bounced back from three bogeys on the front nine with a trio of birdies on the back, including a three on the 462-yard, par-4 18th hole that vaulted him into sole possession of third in the individual race. He registered a team-high 12 birdies for the tournament and ended up only two strokes behind individual medalist Michael Barnard of Middle Tennessee.
Bott also fired a 69 in the opening round and then closed with his second straight 72 on the strength of birdies on the 501-yard, par-5 second and 291-yard, par-4 17th holes on Wednesday. The junior from Montgomery tallied 11 birdies for the week and his fourth-place finish marked the best conference showing of his UTSA career, as well as his fourth top five of the season.
Christian Fanfelle matched Rome and Bott with an even-par scorecard in the final round despite having to settle for a 10 on the 555-yard, par-5 12th hole. The senior from San Antonio wrote down three birdies through his first 10 holes and then bounced back from No. 12 with his second eagle of the week, a two on the par-4 17th. An all-conference performer last season, he finished in a tie for 22nd at 3-over 219 (73-74-72) and was the only player in the field with more than one eagle.
David Harrison grabbed a share of 42nd with a 224. The junior from Trophy Club opened with a 74 on Monday before posting back-to-back 75s, and his final round scorecard was highlighted by birdies on the seventh and 16th holes.
Jack Wehman rounded out the UTSA lineup in a tie for 55th (229). The freshman from Austin carded a 74 in the first round and bounced back from an 80 on Tuesday with a 75 behind a trio of birdies on Wednesday.
-UTSA-
