The UNM men's golf team started the season in dominating fashion as it battled some of the best golf teams in the nation and came out on top in the 47th Annual William H. Tucker Intercollegiate tournament at the UNM Championship Golf Course this weekend.
The Lobos used a stellar first round and steady play in the second and third rounds to win the tournament for the first time since 1992. The 19th-ranked Lobos proved they are one of the elite teams in the country with the win because the tournament featured seven teams ranked in the top-25 in the nation.
UNM was the only team to finish the tournament under par, shooting a 5-under 859. The nearest competitor was Pepperdine University, who finished with a 6-over par 870.
The Lobos, who now have won the tournament seven times, also were the only team to record two rounds under par in the 11-stroke victory.
"Our guys just stayed very focused and we had great composure, which is essential to play good golf," said first year head coach Glen Millican. "We obviously executed our game plan very well and when you do that you're going to get some good scores."
The Lobos had some outstanding individual performances, with three players finishing in the top-10. Junior Michael Letzig and senior Wil Collins led the way for the Lobos, finishing tied for second place with a 4-under 212. Sophomore Jim Anderson rounded out the top-10 finishers by shooting a 1-over 217.
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Manuel Merizalde of Brigham Young University won the tournament with a 7-under par 209, including a remarkable 66 in the final round.
The tournament began with rounds one and two played on Friday in a 36-hole shotgun format. The Lobos annihilated the competition from the beginning, posting an impressive first round score of 10-under, 278. The score gave UNM a 10 stroke lead after the first round, with Collins tied for first place after shooting a 67, and Letzig one stroke behind.
With the wind kicking up and most of the teams tiring in the afternoon, the Lobos hung onto their lead despite struggling a bit. None of the 20 teams that participated in the tournament scored under par in second round, with the Lobos shooting a 6-over 294. Although the Lobos struggled, they still held an insurmountable eight stroke lead over Pepperdine.
UNM's Collins and Letzig did give some ground in the second round, both dropping down to second place, two strokes behind the leader.
The Lobos ended the tournament in impressive fashion Saturday as they shot a 1-under 287 and were never threatened, while Collins and Letzig battled to try and get the individual championship.
"It doesn't surprise me that those guys are playing great," Millican said. "I would be a surprise if they didn't play well. I am very pleased, very happy for those guys. What a great way to finish, second place, almost winning."
Both players shot well in the final round, but were not prepared for the outstanding round Merizalde had. He trailed by five strokes to the leader heading into the final day.
The play by Merizalde left Collins and Letzig battling each other for second place. On the 18th and final hole, Collins made a 25-foot birdie put, while Letzig missed his birdie chance, leaving the teammates tied for second.
"(Friday) I played great all day long I just got tired," Letzig said. "(Saturday) I felt I should have won. Through fifteen holes I was playing good, then I hit two bogeys and missed a putt on the last hole. I think I just got tired I guess. But I'm pleased with my performance."
UNM also had its junior varsity team competing in the tournament. The Lobo JV squad had a good showing, finishing in 10th place. Freshman Jay Reynolds led the way for the team, finishing tied for 13th with a 2-over par 218, including shooting a 2-under par 70 on the final day.
"I think we are fairly deep," Millican said. "There could be a lot of changes to the lineup this year, who knows. We have a lot of really good players."
The Lobos tee up again Oct.2 when they travel to Newport, R.I., to compete in the Adams Cup.
