Tuesday, February 15
Laredo Country Club – Laredo, Texas
University of Houston
vs
Border Olympics
Men’s Golf Sweeps Border Olympics Titles
2/15/2022 3:04:00 PM | Men's Golf
Cougars win team championship at 12-under 852; Senior Alexander Frances defeats teammate Andrew Gibson on second hole of playoff for first collegiate title of career
LAREDO, Texas – Senior Alexander Frances defeated teammate Andrew Gibson on the second hole of a playoff to win the individual title, and both helped lead the University of Houston Men's Golf program to the team championship at the Border Olympics on Tuesday afternoon.
Posting a score of 3-under 285 as a team on the 7,204-yard, par-72 course at Laredo Country Club, the Cougars finished with a score of 12-under 852 for the program's first team title since the White Sands Invitational on Nov. 1-3, 2019, under Director of Golf Jonathan Dismuke.
Gibson and Frances each led the Cougars with 70s in Tuesday's Final Round and tied for first at 7-under 209 to finish three strokes ahead of Lamar's Hugo Hellman.
After both Cougars made par on the par-4 18th on the first hole of the playoff, Frances sank par on the 408-yard, par-4 10th hole to win medalist honors.
In the Final Round, Frances jumped out to a fast start with birdies on Nos. 1-2 to start his day and added another birdie on the 569-yard, par-5 ninth hole to cap his first nine. His final birdie of the Final Round on the 349-yard, par-4 16th hole pushed him into a tie with Gibson to force the playoff.
Frances became the first Cougar to win an individual title since Pryce Beshoory earned medalist honors at the Colin Montgomery Invitational on Feb. 26-27, 2018, at Augusta Pines Golf Club in Spring, Texas.
Gibson overcame a slow start that saw him at +1 through eight holes with back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 4-5. The Perthshire, Scotland, native returned to even par with a birdie on No. 9 and drained back-to-back birdies on Nos. 14-15.
His second-place finish topped his previous best of fifth place at the All-American Intercollegiate on Feb. 16-18, 2020.
Fellow senior Braxton Watkins joined Gibson and Frances among the Top-10 leaders, tying for sixth at 216. The Winthrop, Ark., native sank two birdies on his first seven holes and added his final birdie of the day on No. 1 to finish the Final Round with a 71.
Junior transfer Marcus Wochner tied for 12th at 219, while junior Austyn Reily tied for 55th at 231.
Playing as individuals, freshman Julio Rios-Brache tied for 29th at 224, while redshirt freshman Jacob Borow tied for 36th at 227. Redshirt freshman Drew Murdock finished 76th at 237.
Louisiana Tech finished second at 867, while Lamar came in third at 870. No. 50 Baylor (873), Sam Houston State (883), ULM (884), Illinois State (900), New Mexico State (900), UTSA (901) and Rice (901) rounded out the Top 10.
Louisiana Tech's Sam Murphy finished fourth at 214. Baylor's Luke Morgan stood fifth at 216, while Watkins joined Mac Murphy (Louisiana Tech) and Jacob Agerschou (ULM) at 216.
UP NEXT
Following the Border Olympics, Houston returns to action when it competes at the Cabo Collegiate on the Ocean Course at Cove Club in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on Feb. 27-March 1.
From there, the Cougars will play host to their All-American Intercollegiate on March 21-22 at Golf Club of Houston in Humble, Texas, before competing at the prestigious Valspar Collegiate Invitational at Floridian Golf Club on March 28-29.
JOIN PROJECT 17
Fans are invited to join Project 17 to support Houston Men's Golf. Project members provide financial support directly to Houston Men's Golf for needs beyond the program's operating budget.
For information about Project 17 or to join, fans can click here.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMGolf on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarMGolf. Fans also can follow the team on Instagram at uhcougarmgolf.
Posting a score of 3-under 285 as a team on the 7,204-yard, par-72 course at Laredo Country Club, the Cougars finished with a score of 12-under 852 for the program's first team title since the White Sands Invitational on Nov. 1-3, 2019, under Director of Golf Jonathan Dismuke.
Gibson and Frances each led the Cougars with 70s in Tuesday's Final Round and tied for first at 7-under 209 to finish three strokes ahead of Lamar's Hugo Hellman.
After both Cougars made par on the par-4 18th on the first hole of the playoff, Frances sank par on the 408-yard, par-4 10th hole to win medalist honors.
In the Final Round, Frances jumped out to a fast start with birdies on Nos. 1-2 to start his day and added another birdie on the 569-yard, par-5 ninth hole to cap his first nine. His final birdie of the Final Round on the 349-yard, par-4 16th hole pushed him into a tie with Gibson to force the playoff.
Frances became the first Cougar to win an individual title since Pryce Beshoory earned medalist honors at the Colin Montgomery Invitational on Feb. 26-27, 2018, at Augusta Pines Golf Club in Spring, Texas.
Gibson overcame a slow start that saw him at +1 through eight holes with back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 4-5. The Perthshire, Scotland, native returned to even par with a birdie on No. 9 and drained back-to-back birdies on Nos. 14-15.
His second-place finish topped his previous best of fifth place at the All-American Intercollegiate on Feb. 16-18, 2020.
Fellow senior Braxton Watkins joined Gibson and Frances among the Top-10 leaders, tying for sixth at 216. The Winthrop, Ark., native sank two birdies on his first seven holes and added his final birdie of the day on No. 1 to finish the Final Round with a 71.
Junior transfer Marcus Wochner tied for 12th at 219, while junior Austyn Reily tied for 55th at 231.
Playing as individuals, freshman Julio Rios-Brache tied for 29th at 224, while redshirt freshman Jacob Borow tied for 36th at 227. Redshirt freshman Drew Murdock finished 76th at 237.
Louisiana Tech finished second at 867, while Lamar came in third at 870. No. 50 Baylor (873), Sam Houston State (883), ULM (884), Illinois State (900), New Mexico State (900), UTSA (901) and Rice (901) rounded out the Top 10.
Louisiana Tech's Sam Murphy finished fourth at 214. Baylor's Luke Morgan stood fifth at 216, while Watkins joined Mac Murphy (Louisiana Tech) and Jacob Agerschou (ULM) at 216.
UP NEXT
Following the Border Olympics, Houston returns to action when it competes at the Cabo Collegiate on the Ocean Course at Cove Club in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, on Feb. 27-March 1.
From there, the Cougars will play host to their All-American Intercollegiate on March 21-22 at Golf Club of Houston in Humble, Texas, before competing at the prestigious Valspar Collegiate Invitational at Floridian Golf Club on March 28-29.
JOIN PROJECT 17
Fans are invited to join Project 17 to support Houston Men's Golf. Project members provide financial support directly to Houston Men's Golf for needs beyond the program's operating budget.
For information about Project 17 or to join, fans can click here.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMGolf on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarMGolf. Fans also can follow the team on Instagram at uhcougarmgolf.
– UHCougars.com –