Feb. 15, 2011

Recap Final UTSA Oak Hills Results in PDF Format

SAN ANTONIO - Facing tough course conditions in the final round, the Baylor men's golf team opened its spring season Tuesday with a fifth-place finish at the UTSA Oak Hills Invitational.

No. 50 Baylor finished tied for fifth at 25-over 877 with Louisiana-Lafayette. No. 20 Texas Tech ran away with the UTSA Oak Hills title by a 12-stroke margin. Oklahoma and North Texas finished second and third, respectively. Texas Tech's Nils Floren took home individual medalist honors, winning by one stroke over Oklahoma's Ben Klaus.

"Tuesday's round set up harder with the pin placement and the course played the entire length," head coach Greg Priest said. "Conditions were quite a bit tougher, but we knew the scores would be higher.

"We need to get back into the mode of playing in tournaments," Priest said. "The more we play, the better we'll get. We have a solid team; once we shake the rust off, we'll be fine."

Joakim Mikkelsen posted Baylor's lone top-25 finish, tying for 21st at 4-over (71-73-73=217). Mikkelsen was 4-over-par through 14 holes until birdies on 15 and 17 helped him lower his score to 2-over for the final round. Lorenzo Scotto finished three strokes behind Mikkelsen in a 30th-place tie at 7-over (72-74-74=220).

"Joakim's (Mikkelsen) someone we really lean on," Priest said. "For us to play well, he has to step up and play well and continue to be our leader."

Cody Paladino carded the best final round by a Baylor golfer with a 72, helping him finish tied for 36th with teammate Jerry Ruiz at 9-over 222. Payne Gniewek tied for 47th with a final score of 11-over (77-72-75=224), while individual Drew McGee finished 54th at 13-over (75-78-73=226).

Baylor will next travel to Charleston, S.C., to compete Feb. 28-March 1 in the Charleston Shootout. The tournament was a late addition to the Bears' schedule after the Royal Oaks Intercollegiate was rained out in the fall.