This Week in WAC Men's Golf - April 8
This Week in WAC Men's Golf - April 8
Complete Release (PDF)
UVU'S McKINLAY NAMED TICKETSMARTER MEN'S GOLFER OF THE WEEK
Utah Valley's Brady McKinlay has been named TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference Men's Golfer of the Week for March 31 through April 6.
McKinlay, a sophomore from Lacombe, Alberta, Canada, was the top WAC finisher at the Wyoming Cowboy Classic in Chandler, Ariz., going below par in all three rounds to tie for seventh with an 8-under-par 208. He started the tournament out strong, shooting a 4-under-par 68 in the opening round. After a 1-over-par 71 in the second round, he shot a 3-under-par 69 in the final round to secure the top-10 finish. With 15 rounds played, he leads the WAC in stroke average at 71.9.
Other men's nominees: Grand Canyon's Trevor Lampson used a pair of sub-par rounds to tie for 13th at the Wyoming Cowboy Classic in Chandler, Ariz. … NM State's Aidan Thomas led the Aggies at the Bayou City Collegiate Classic, shooting a 1-under-par 215 to tie for 22nd among 96 golfers.
ON THE TEE
Two weeks of tournament action remain before the WAC Championship on April 30-May 2 in Boulder City, Nev. NM State will open up action on Friday, traveling to Texas A&M for the Aggie Invitational in Bryan, Texas. UT Rio Grande Valley will get going the next day at the El Macero Classic in Davis, Calif. On Monday, California Baptist and Dixie State open play at the Sandpiper Invitational in Goleta, Calif. while Chicago State heads to Joliet, Ill. on Tuesday for the St. Francis Spring Invitational.
BY THE NUMBERS
Utah Valley's Brady McKinlay leads all individual golfers with a 71.9 stroke average. UVU's Kai Iguchi is second at 72.6 with UTRGV's Leonardo Novella is third at 72.8. As a team, UVU has the top stroke average at 291.9, followed by UT Rio Grande Valley at 292.1 and Dixie State at 294.4.
IT'S BIGGER IN TEXAS (AND UTAH)
On Jan. 14, the WAC announced the addition of five new schools in the upcoming years. Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin and Southern Utah were all offered and accepted membership invitations. With the addition, the WAC will have six schools in Texas, more than any other conference in the country, and three schools in Utah, also a national best. The four Texas schools will join the league on July 1, 2021 and Southern Utah will follow 365 days later, officially joining the WAC on July 1, 2022.
WAC CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE PLAYED IN NEVADA
The 2021 WAC Men's Golf Championship will be played at Boulder Creek Golf Club in Boulder City, Nev. Made up of three nine-hole courses, the course is considered by many to be one of the top municipal golf courses in the country. Scenic vistas, cool creeks, colorful wildflowers, and smooth beach bunkers add to the lure of this unique golf course.