Complete Results Day 1 Story Day 2 StoryView the photo gallerySan Luis Obispo—The UC Riverside Men's Golf Team secured a third place finish at the Big West Conference Championship Tuesday at the San Luis Obispo Country Club.
The Highlanders dropped one spot after Monday's second round of competition, shooting their highest round of the tournament— 296—to place third out of nine teams. It is the second year in a row the blue and gold has finished in third place after the team jumped six spots after the second round in 2014.
UCR's 871 three-round score was 11 off the pace of the winner, UC Irvine (860), and 10 behind second-place UC Davis (861). The Highlanders held off Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara by four strokes to earn their top-three spot.
Sam Gillis was the Highlanders best finisher, tying for sixth with a 216 (74-71-71). He was only three shots away from a tie for second place, and four strokes back of the winner, Cal Poly's Justin De Los Santos (212).
David Gazzolo finished in ninth with scores of 67-74-76 (217), while Matt Lutz shot 72-73-73 (218) to tie for 10th. Andre Vu tied for 24th with scores 77-71-76 (224). Rounding out the Highlander squad was Anthony Bonales finishing one stroke behind Vu and placing 27th firing 73-76-76 (225).
UC Irvine advances to the NCAA Division I men's regionals as the conference's automatic qualifier.
