NEW ORLEANS – For the second time in three years, the Loyola Wolf Pack men's golf team defended their home course by winning the Wolf Pack Spring Invitational, this time earning the team win at English Turn Golf & Country Club. The Wolf Pack combined to card an 884 (+20) throughout the three rounds to edge Blue Mountain Christian, which is receiving votes in the national rankings, by one stroke.
It's the program's third team win in its relatively short history, and the team's total score and score-to-par are both the second-best marks for a 54-hole tournament in the program's record book.
The individual and team titles came down to the final hole with Arthur Mijic and BMCU's Amalio Vega battling to secure both trophies. Mijic found some trouble on the left side of the par 4 finishing hole, allowing Vega to take the top spot individually, but a bunker save by Mijic helped the junior wrap up Loyola's team title.
Mijic finished the tournament alone in second place, one shot behind Vega, with a 215 (-1) total score. His to-par score will go down as the third-best 54-hole performance in program history, while his total score was the fourth-best, and he's now one of four Wolf Pack golfers who have finished a three-round tournament under par. He carded a third-round 74 (+2) to capture his second career Top 5 as well.
Preston Giroir had the big move on Tuesday, shooting even-par (72) to vault up six spots on the leaderboard into a tie for eighth place (223, +7) for his second career Top 10. He's joined by his teammate Michael Bullock, who had a 77 (+5) for his third round to snag his third career Top 10 finish.
Trey Ponce and Max Kukuk both finished tied for 15th with total scores of 230 (+14) to help Loyola's scoring. Ponce had his best round of the tournament on Tuesday with a 74 (+2), while Kukuk finished the week with an 81 (+9).
Making up the Loyola B team, Cameron Bruce led that group with a 25th-place finish (234, +18), followed by Chase May in a tie for 30th (236, +20), Cade Scarborough tied for 34th (238, +22), and Jacob Brand in 50th (258, +42).
Men's Team Leaderboard
1. Loyola – Round 1: 295 | Round 2: 292 | Round 3: 297 | Total: 884 (+20)
2. (RV) Blue Mountain Christian – Round 1: 298 | Round 2: 296 | Round 3: 291 | Total: 885 (+21)
3. Spring Hill – Round 1: 304 | Round 2: 301 | Round 3: 299 | Total: 904 (+40)
Men's Individual Leaderboard
1. Amalio Vega (BMCU) – Round 1: 75 | Round 2: 69 | Round 3: 70 | Total: 214 (-2)
2. Arthur Mijic (Loyola) – Round 1: 72 | Round 2: 69 | Round 3: 74 | Total: 215 (-1)
3. Pontus Nordstrom (BMCU) – Round 1: 73 | Round 2: 71 | Round 3: 71 | Total: 216 (E)
Loyola Men's Leaderboard
2. Arthur Mijic (A) – Round 1: 72 | Round 2: 69 | Round 3: 74 | Total: 215 (-1)
T8. Preston Giroir (A) – Round 1: 77 | Round 2: 74 | Round 3: 72 | Total: 223 (+7)
T8. Michael Bullock (A) – Round 1: 75 | Round 2: 71 | Round 3: 77 | Total: 223 (+7)
T15. Trey Ponce (A) – Round 1: 78 | Round 2: 78 | Round 3: 74 | Total: 230 (+14)
T15. Max Kukuk (A) – Round 1: 71 | Round 2: 78 | Round 3: 81 | Total: 230 (+14)
25. Cameron Bruce (B) – Round 1: 74 | Round 2: 81 | Round 3: 79 | Total: 234 (+18)
T30. Chase May (B) – Round 1: 82 | Round 2: 76 | Round 3: 78 | Total: 236 (+20)
T34. Cade Scarborough (B) – Round 1: 82 | Round 2: 77 | Round 3: 79 | Total: 238 (+22)
50. Jacob Brand (B) – Round 1: 88 | Round 2: 83 | Round 3: 87 | Total: 258 (+42)
W/D. Logan Peterson (B) – Round 1: 79
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