HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Henderson State reclaimed the GAC Men’s Golf Championship title as the Reddies defeated Southwestern Oklahoma State in a playoff on Tuesday on the Arlington Course at Hot Springs Country Club. Arkansas Tech’s Henry Frizzell birdied the last hole to win the medalist honor for the second-straight year.
The Reddies and Bulldogs finished the 54-hole event tied at +3-over-par. The Reddies posted the low round of the day, 5-under, to force the playoff. On the par-5 10th hole, the Reddies played it in 6-under as Alex Hadden and Josh McNulty eagled the hole and Miller Harris and Nick Shapiro birdied the hole. SWOSU played the hole in 2-under.
FINAL ROUND LEADERBOARDS
Shapiro and McNulty finished second to Frizzell in the individual competition. Shapiro carded the low round of the day, a 3-under-par 69 while McNulty posted a 2-under 70. Harris and Mitchell Ford tied for ninth. Each registered even-par rounds.
The Bulldogs finished second, the program’s best finish since 2015. Gregor Weck tied for second place as his final round 3-over 75 left him at 1-under for the week. Anders Strand shot a 1-under round to finish in seventh place while Conner Boydston recorded an even-par round.
Frizzell birdied the 18th hole to become the first Men’s repeat individual champion in GAC history. He carded four birdies and an eagle as part of a 2-under round. Santiago De La Fuente took sixth place. GAC Player of the Year Francis Jacobs tied for 12th.
Harding finished in fourth, three shots ahead of Southeastern Oklahoma State and eight ahead of Southern Arkansas. Caleb Nichols and Sam Tandy paced the Bisons by tying for 12th. The Savage Storm’s Jordan Holifield made five birdies and shot a 2-under 70 to join the four-way tie for second place. SAU’s Roman Timmerman tied for ninth with Ford and Harris.
Arkansas-Monticello, Southern Nazarene and Northwestern Oklahoma State rounded out the team scoring.
The Reddies clinched the automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Central/Midwest Regional. The NCAA will announce the full field on Friday, April 22. Purgatory Golf Club in Noblesville, Indiana serves as the site for the Regional, set for Thursday, May 5 through Saturday May 7.