Eagles cling to lead in Lone Star Conference Championship
ARLINGTON, Texas (April 20, 2021) – One hole flummoxed Oklahoma Christian on Tuesday in the Lone Star Conference Championship tournament, but the Eagles overcame that issue and held onto their lead in the second round at Tierra Verde Golf Club.
No. 15-ranked OC posted a team round of 298, 17 shots worse than in the first round but still the second-best score of the day by any of the 13 squads in the tournament. That gave the Eagles an overall score of 579 (3-over-par), six shots ahead of Midwestern State (Texas), 10 ahead of Western New Mexico and 11 ahead of Texas A&M-Commerce.
The Eagles will look to secure what would be the program’s third conference championship during the tournament’s final round on Wednesday. The LSC tournament winner will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division II South Central-West Super Regional tournament.
If not for the par-4 No. 4, OC might already have the title all but wrapped up. The Eagles’ five players combined to post a score of 9-over on the hole on Tuesday before eventually steadying themselves. Fortunately for OC, the Eagles’ top two players – Andres Brictson and Trevor Norby – recorded pars on the hole.
Brictson, a junior from Merida, Mexico, was 3-under-par at the turn on the 6,975-yard course but had two bogeys on the back nine. His 1-under 71 put him at 141 (3-under) for the tournament, tied with Parker Holekamp of Texas A&M International for second place, five shots behind Midwestern State’s Jake Doggett. Doggett also shot a 71 on Tuesday.
Norby, a senior from Carlsbad, Calif., opened his round with 10 pars, then had two birdies in three holes before closing with two bogeys for a 72. He will enter the final round tied for fourth at 142.
Also in the top 10 (tied for 10th) was freshman Mateo Pulcini of Rio Cuarto, Argentina. Pulcini battled through a triple bogey on No. 4 to record a 77, giving him a two-round score of 146. OC junior Alex Motesof Sulphur Springs, Texas, bogeyed the first four holes but hung on for a 78 and was tied for 22nd at 150.
The most adventurous round of the day for the Eagles was posted by sophomore Alejandro Armijo of Rio Rancho, N.M., who didn’t record his first par until No. 7. After opening with two birdies, he bogeyed No. 3 before a quintuple bogey at No. 4 and another bogey at No. 5. He then rebounded for a birdie at No. 6. By that point, he was 4-over and he played the back nine in 3-over, giving him a 79. At 152 for the two rounds, he was tied for 35th.
OC will be grouped with Midwestern State and Western New Mexico in the final round, with tee times starting at 9:40 a.m.