Sacramento State men’s golf came into the Fresno State Lexus Classic at a disadvantage Monday with five golfers to the other teams’ six-player lineups. 

Although the Hornets featured a lineup with fewer players, the team was still able to finish the Classic tied for 13th place and was helped by junior Jordan Weir and senior Ryan Williams. 

Both players finished in the top 30 in a competitive tournament that included the No. 1 team in the nation, UC Berkeley.

Weir had his best finish of the year thus far as he tied for 36th place, with his lowest score this season by 11 strokes, 1-over-par, 72-74-71, 217. The junior was able to score under par in the final round of the invitational after finishing the first two rounds 2-over-par. 

After an up-and-down front nine, Weir was able to regroup himself on the back nine, birding four holes. 

“Jordan was not right mentally in the fall, but now everything is falling into place for him,” Williams said. “His scores showed this weekend.”

The Hornets were closely grouped together in scores this week, with 13 strokes separating the lowest-scoring golfer from the highest-scoring golfer. 

“Everyone had their moments of brilliance,” Williams said. “This weekend we all could have had great scores, but we just couldn’t put it together.”  

Williams was able to put together another invitational under par when he finished the final round today 1-under-par 72-71-72, 215 and picked up 10 birdies, one eagle and 11 bogeys. 

Growing up in the Fresno area and being a former member of the Fort Washington Country Club, he said he knew the course well.

“The conditions of the golf course were perfect and the fairways were challenging,” Williams said. “The course plays short with a lot of iron shots.”

Williams said the greens were easier to read than the Industry Hills golf course last Monday, so it was just a matter of hitting a good putt. 

Swanson was able to start the final round of the invitational sinking four birdies on the front nine, but fell apart after the turn to the back nine bogeying four holes and triple bogeying the last hole.  

“I got ahead of myself a little bit today worrying about score instead of taking it one at a time,” Swanson said.

Sophomore Owen Taylor also played a solid three rounds shooting 5-over-par, 74-74-73, 221 and was able to collect eight birdies, nine bogeys and two double bogeys. 

Freshman Aaron Beverly was up and down in the three rounds at Fresno State, finishing the invitational with a 12-over-par 77-75-76, 228. He was able to collect four birdies one eagle, 16 bogeys and one double bogey in three rounds at the Fresno State Lexus Classic. 

The Hornets host the Sacramento State Invitational March 11-12.

 

Clifton can be reached on Twitter at @jonesSHsports