UBC ATHLETICS
BREMERTON, Wash. – Conner Kozak went 3-under par on the last two holes of the final round to take individual medalist honors Monday at the Association of Independent Institutions Conference (AII) Men’s Golf Championship and lead the UBC Thunderbirds to their first AII banner since 2011.
UBC started the day with a five-shot advantage and built on that with a final round-best 4-under 292 to finish at 24-over 888 (293-303-292) at the Gold Mountain Golf Club’s Olympic course. It played at 6,535 yards on Monday.
The Thunderbirds, ranked 11th in the NAIA, held off a charging Lindenwood-Belleville Lynx squad that improved every round to earn second place at 35-over 899 (302-301-296).
Kozak, a Seaton Sonics’ grad, started off tied for first with Ryan Odom from Cal State-San Marcos. Kozak double-bogeyed the par-4 second hole couldn”t sink anything long all day except on 10 when he birdied.
He also scored birdie on No. 17 and went into the last hole in a tie for the lead and eagled the par 4 18th. He finished at 1-under 215 (70-75-70).
“I hit a three-wood to 15 feet and dropped my best putt of the day at the right time,” said Kozak, a junior captain.
“It was a huge accomplishment to beat a team like California State-San Marcos. They are the defending AII Champions and are currently ranked sixth in the NAIA.”
The unranked Lynx finished four shots ahead of California State-San Marcos (304-297-302) and seven up on No. 25 Houston-Victoria (298-307-301).
Odom settled for second with a total score of 1-over 217 (75-70-72). LUB’s Brian Murtagh and UBC’s Jack Wood tied for third at 4-over 220. Murtagh shot rounds of 74-72-74 while Wood had consecutive 75s after opening with a 70.
Murtagh’s teammate Joaquin Diaz took the final spot on the all-AII team with a fifth at 6-over 222 (76-73-73).
UBC’s Nate Ollis was alone in 11th at 12-over 228 (77-78-73). Scott Secord tied for 12th with a three-round total of 13-over 229 (76-79-74).
Evan Holmes managed a 14-over 230 (80-75-75) for a share of 16th place.
UBC has earned the AII’s automatic bid to the NAIA Men’s Golf National Championship, which will be played May 13-16 at the LPGA International Golf Course in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Cooper bags title
Vernon’s Braeden Cooper carded a 75 Sunday to win the Bantam portion of the Zone 2 Junior Golf Tour stop in Penticton by one stroke over Brandon Chai of Vernon.
Hunter Penalva of Vernon shot 91 to finish in a three-way share of 10th place.
Cooper, Vernon’s Dexter Weiten and Summerland’s Declan Riddle all shot 80 Saturday in Summerland with Weiten winning by retrogression. Penalva was 10th with a 90.
In the Junior Division, Kelowna’s Steven Lee produced a 71 for a five-shot win over Brandon Ortiz of West Kelowna and Lionel Taylor of Kelowna Sunday in Penticton.
Austin Bosquet of Vernon took fourth with a 77, while Matt Kreutz of Vernon was eighth at 78, Matt McEachran-Law was 14th at 81 and Mac Gourdine 16th at 82
In Summerland, local player Rachelle Nielsen fired a 74 for a two-stroke win over six players, including Kreutz.
McEachran-Law went 77 for eighth and Gourdine shot 79 for 10th.
The Tour moves to Salmon Arm and Vernon this weekend.
