The New Mexico State men’s golf team won their second consecutive tournament as they won the Ping Golf Cougar Classic with a team score of 17-under-par 847 in Provo, Utah, Saturday, April 19.
The Aggies fired rounds of 277-282-288 to win the tournament by 11 strokes over Washington State and Brigham Young University. No. 46 Saint Mary’s finished in third with a 4-under-par 860, four strokes ahead of fourth place University of New Mexico.
The last time NMSU won two straight tournaments was in 2006 when the Aggies won the Wyoming tournament, then came back to win their first ever Western Athletic Conference Championship. Head coach Scott Lieberwirth knows that the confidence his team has can really benefit his team going into the conference tournament.
“We’re going to be riding a high going into the tournament,” Leiberwirth said. “We are playing some of our best golf we’ve played right now.”
Senior Matt Edwards (Henderson, Nev.) and freshman Tim Madigan (Rio Rancho, N.M.) led the Aggies to victory as both players tied for fifth with a 4-under-par 212. Madigan shot his third round in the 60’s after carding rounds of 67-72-73. Edwards brought in scores of 76-68-68 making it 12th and 13th time scoring at or under par and his fifth and sixth time scoring in the 60’s.
“This could be the best I’ve seen him (Edwards) play,” Lieberwirth said. “He played like the senior he is and we all benefited from his performance.”
The Aggies led after rounds one and two and kept their lead with the help of junior Kevin Lozares (Mountain View, Calif.), who tied for eighth with a 3-under-par 213 (66-72-75). The 66 he brought scored in round one was the first time he did it this season.
“Everyone played well this weekend and we were able to close out rounds,” Lieberwirth said.
Junior Travis Reid (Clovis, N.M.) tied for 11th, which was the sixth time this season he has finished in the top-20. Reid brought in scores of 70-72-72 for a three round score of 2-under-par 214. Sophomore Josh Stewart (Albuquerque, N.M.) shot a 5-over-par 221 (74-70-77) and tied for 45th.