RESULTS || HOT SPRINGS, Ark. - Henderson State built off its strong second round play with an even-par team score in the final round to claim its second consecutive Great American Conference Men’s Golf Championship title, an 18-stroke victory on Tuesday from the Hot Springs Country Club.
All five of the Reddies shot between a 71 and 74. Drew Greenwood finished as the individual medalist as he shot an even-par 72 on Tuesday. Price Murphree registered the low round of the day for Henderson State, a 1-under 71 to finish in a tie for eighth. A 1-over 73 from Brice Howard left him one shot in back of Greenwood and good enough to tie for second place with Arkansas Tech’s Brian Belz.
Southwestern Oklahoma State continued its climb up the leaderboard. The Bulldogs shot a 1-over 289, led by a 4-under 68 from Stefan Idstam to pass Southern Nazarene and Arkansas Tech. Idstam finished in a tie for fifth place to earn All-Tournament honors.
The Wonder Boys closed in third place. Belz shot a 3-over 75 to share second place with Howard. Julio Arguelles also shot a 75 to close in a tie for 11th place. Arkansas-Monticello registered its best ever finish at the GAC Championships, a fourth-place showing, by shooting its lowest GAC Championship round, a 2-over 290. Ari Magnusson shot a 1-under 71 and William Trawick posted an even-par round. Theodor Karlsson paced the Boll Weevils by tying for eighth place.
Southern Nazarene, the first-round leader, ended the week in fifth place. Michael Hearne earned All-Tournament honors by tying for fifth place. Southeastern Oklahoma State closed in sixth place after shooting its best round of the tournament, a 6-over 294.
Harding and Southern Arkansas shared seventh place. The Muleriders’ Kirk Peterson climbed 12 places up into a fourth-place finish after matching SWOSU’s Idstam with the low round of the tournament, a four-under 68. East Central, led by Jordan Bates’ fifth-place finish, ended the Championship in ninth place.
Ouachita Baptist rounded out the field in 10th. Northwestern Oklahoma State’s Brennan Montgomery capped his week with a 1-under 71 and Drew Sims registered an even-par round.
The Reddies, Bulldogs, Wonder Boys, Crimson Storm and Savage Storm all entered the tournament ranked among the top 10 teams in the Central Region. The top 10 teams will earn berths to the NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament Championships. The NCAA will announce the field on at 3 p.m. on Friday. The GAC has sent four teams to the Region in both 2013 and 2014.
All-Tournament Team
Drew Greenwood - Henderson State, 72 71 72; 215 -1
Brian Belz - Arkansas Tech, 69 72 75; 216 E
Brice Howard - Henderson State, 72 71 73; 216 E
Kirk Peterson - Southern Arkansas, 72 77 68; 217 +1
Jordan Bates - East Central, 71 75 72; 218 +2
Michael Hearne - Southern Nazarene, 74 73 71; 218 +2
Stefan Idstam - Southwestern Oklahoma State, 74 76 68; 218 +2