Bad breaks and bogies made for a frustrating finish for Sam Chavez and the UNM men’s golf team Saturday.
The Lobos petered in the final round of the 56th Annual William H. Tucker Invitational, and Chavez couldn’t replicate the two-under-par 70 he shot Friday. All in all, Chavez finished tied for 10th individually, and the team turned in a less-than-satisfying third place performance, behind North Texas and first-place San Diego State.
“When you count three rounds of golf, and you lose by two, it’s like losing on a last-second 3-pointer — by one shot in a basketball game,” head coach Glen Millican said. “It gives you a little sick feeling.”
As far as Chavez was concerned, sick was the appropriate word.
Individually, Chavez, posted a two-over 74 on Saturday, tying him with senior teammate Travis Ross. It was Chavez’s second straight top-10 finish.
Still, Chavez said he was dissatisfied with the final outcome of the tournament.
“I felt like I played all right. I just didn’t score as well as (Friday),” Chavez said. “I was playing really well, and then I got two bad breaks and some bogies.”
Millican said Chavez had no reason to hang his head, considering how he’s been on a tear so far this season.
“Sam had a great tournament — 74 today,” Millican said. “I mean, when you lose by two, everybody’s going to look back and think, ‘Oh I could have done this or that, and we could’ve won.’ So that’s where that’s coming from. He had a great tournament. He played real solid, like he did up in Colorado.”
UNM finished two strokes behind the Aztecs.
Following last week’s one-stroke win over Colorado State at the Mark Simpson Invitational, the Lobos started Saturday four strokes behind the leader North Texas.
UNM held a one-stroke lead over the Mean Green, before San Diego State surged the last few holes to claim the title.
A transfer from Arkansas, Chavez was named to the 2008 SEC All-Freshmen team and All-Academic team and played at the 2008 NCAA Regional Tournament at Ohio State.
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Chavez finished in fifth place at the Mark Simpson Invitational last week. There, Chavez posted a tournament-best 66 in the second round.
Yet Saturday, he said he was peeved that he was unable to channel the momentum he built over the week.
“It would have been nice to win two in a row,” he said.
Hopefully, Chavez said, the team can build on what it learned Saturday.
“It’s been a great start, though, and a win’s a win, and at least we came close,” he said.
