United Athletic Conference

Fresno State

David Inglis, Tulsa

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RICHMOND, Tex. -- With no shortage of drama, Fresno State held off a charging Tulsa squad to claim the team title while the Golden Hurricane's David Inglis needed a three-hole playoff to win medalist honors over the Bulldog's Nick Watney on the final day of action at the 2003 Western Athletic Conference Golf Championship Wednesday afternoon at The Houstonian Country Club in nearby Richmond.

Fresno State began the championship tournament's final round with a five stroke lead, but Tulsa chipped away before the Bulldogs could claim the 2003 title with a 54-hole total of two-under par 862. Tulsa ended the tournament three shots off the pace (865, +1) while UTEP finished third overall with a four-over par 868. SMU also charged into fourth (880) while Nevada placed fifth (885) and tournament host Rice finished sixth (887).

The battle for the individual championship between Inglis and Watney, the league's highest-ranked players, lived up to pre-tournament expectations. Inglis began the day with a two-shot lead, 137 to 139, but Watney picked up a stroke on the front nine then birdied the first two holes on the back nine to tie up the match through 47 of the 54 holes. The duo then matched strokes for the remaining seven holes to tie for the lead with identical eight-under par 208s.

The tie-breaker for the individual championship was to play The Houstonian's 464-yard, par four, 18th hole until the deadlock is broken. Again, the two twice matched a pair of par scores, but on the third playoff of the same hole Watney hit his drive into a right-side bunker and then took another two shots before reaching the green. Inglis reached the green in two and safely two-putted to win the hole 4-5. Inglis became the WAC's first three-time individual champion and the junior accomplished the feat his first three years in the league.

Third place went to Fresno State's Chad Spencer (211, -5) who tied Watney for the best round of the day with a three-under par 69. UTEP's Dan Swanson shot a 70 to finish fourth in the 50-player field with a composite four-under 212. The 2003 WAC award winners appears below.

2003 All-WAC Honors
First Team
Chris Baryla, Jr., UTEP
David Inglis, Sr., Tulsa
Brock Mulder, Sr., SMU
Dan Swanson, Sr., UTEP
Nick Watney, Sr., Fresno State

Second Team
Graham DeLaet, So., Boise State
Chris Noel, Jr., Tulsa
Bryant Reyes, Jr., San Jose State
Chad Spencer, Jr., Fresno State
Isaac Weintraub, Jr., San Jose State

Player of the Year:
Nick Watney, Sr., Fresno State

Freshman of the Year:
Will Dodson, Fr., SMU

Coach of the Year:
Mike Watney, Fresno State