Smith Earns Runner-Up Finish at SAC Championship
NEWTON, Kan. – On Monday and Tuesday, the No. 24 ranked University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma men's golf team earned a fourth-place finish at the Sooner Athletic Conference Championship, led by a historic runner-up finish by Caleb Smith. Smith was tied for the lead after the third round and came up short in playoff holes. The performance is by far the best in program history at the SAC Championship and another sign of the immense growth of the USAO Men's Golf team.
Additionally, Conner Cryer was awarded with an All-Conference selection as one of the league's best players this season.
The conference championship was hosted at Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton, Kansas and the Drovers completed with a three-round score of 899 (292, 303, 304). The course featured a 6911-yard, par 72 layout. The tournament featured a loaded field, with five teams ranked or receiving votes in the latest NAIA Men's Golf Coaches' Top 25 poll (#4 Texas Wesleyan, #7 Wayland Baptist, #8 Oklahoma City, #24 USAO, RV Southwestern Christian).
Caleb Smith concluded with a three-round score of 216, after beginning the with an impressive 70 (-2) in the first round followed by 73's in the final two rounds.
Conner Cryer finished in a tie for 11th with a total score of 223, beginning with scores of 72 and 76 on Monday, followed by a 75 in the final round on Tuesday.
Jax Brewer closed in 21st with a score of 231 (76, 76, 79), followed by Cooper Hardison in a tie for 25th with a total of 235 (74, 84, 77). Jaden Ellis finished in 28th as he carded a 238 after scoring a 79 and 78 in the first two rounds, followed by an 81 in the third.
A SEASON TO REMEMBER:
As a team, USAO claimed three wins this season, and they claimed three individual championships as well (Conner Cryer 2x, Jax Brewer 1x).
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Drovers will now have to wait and see how other conference tournaments finish up, to determine if USAO will have any representatives at the 2024 NAIA Men's Golf National Championship.
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