LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- After entering the day with a four-stroke lead, the Bellevue University men's golf team withstood a charge from both the elements and College of Coastal Georgia to win the Battle at Primm.
Battle at Primm:
Location: Primm Valley, Nev.
Host: Grand View University
Course: Primm Valley Golf Club
Par: 72
Yardage: 7,131
Teams: 17
Golfers: 96
Recap:
The Bruins shot 296 (+8) as a team in Tuesday's second round to finish the tournament at 16-under. BU's 54-hole total of 848 narrowly edged out Coastal Georgia (849, -15), as the Bruins defeated the Mariners by a single stroke.
Point (852, -12), Texas Wesleyan (854, -10), and Ottawa (858, -6) rounded out the top five.
Andre Becerra carded a third round low of 71 (-1). Rodrigo Navarrete and Alex Zillig each carded 2-over 74 rounds while Baptiste Bonnet and Hugo Ronnberg posted matching 5-over rounds of 77.
Bellevue began the day four strokes ahead of second place Coastal Georgia at -24 under through 36 holes. Texas Wesleyan, Point, and Ottawa all entered Tuesday with thoughts of a big comeback at 10, 12, and 14 strokes off the lead.
The loaded field featured nine teams ranked in the NAIA Top 25, including five of the top 10 (#1 Point, #3 Wayland Baptist, #4 Coastal Georgia, #9 Morningside, #10 Bellevue), a further four schools receiving votes in that poll as well as the No. 12-ranked team in NCAA Division III.
Coastal Georgia's Chip Thompson won the individual title with a score 210 (-16). Texas Wesleyan's Chayan Duha finished 10 strokes back in second at 6-under (220) with Navarrete rounding out the top three at 5-under (221).
In addition to Navarrete, three other Bruins recorded top 10 finishes. Becerra, Zillig, and Ronnberg all finished at 2-under (214) for the tournament while Bonnet carded out at 1-under (215) marking the first time all five Bruin golfers shot under par at the event.
Up Next:
The Bruins next compete at the William Woods Spring Invitational in Fulton, Mo. The Tournament will be held Monday-Tuesday, Mar. 29-30 at the Tanglewood Golf Course.