LAFAYETTE, La. — Zander Lozano finished third to lead UTSA to a ninth-place showing at the 30th Annual Louisiana Classics, which wrapped up on Tuesday at Oakbourne Country Club (6,898 yards/par 72).
Lozano entered the final round in a tie for eight place in the 81-man field after carding a 2-under-par 70 followed by a 71 on Monday. The freshman matched his opening round effort on the strength of four birdies on Tuesday, and vaulted all the way into sole possession of third at 5-under 211. The Boerne Champion High School product finished two shots back of runner-up Tyler Saunders (209) of Texas State and eight behind individual medalist Thomas Detry of top-ranked Illinois, who shot a 13-under 203 (68-69-66).
It marked the best finish of Lozano’s debut season with the Roadrunners, easily bettering his tie for 17th at the UTSA Oak Hills Invitational last month. The 211 also was a three-shot improvement from the previous season-best 214 he posted on a par-71 course in his first collegiate event, the Sam Hall Intercollegiate last September and also was five shots better than the even-par 216 he turned in at Price’s “Give ‘Em Five” Invitational in October.
Behind Lozano’s career outing, the Roadrunners finished ninth with an 884 (293-294-297) in the team standings, just one shot back of Mississippi State and only four behind a sixth-place tie between Middle Tennessee and Southeastern Louisiana at 16-over 880.
Bryce Alley registered the second-highest finish of the tournament for the Birds, tying for 17th after registering a 3-over 219 (72-71-76) for the third top-20 effort of his sophomore campaign.
Garrison Lackey tied for 59th (76-75-76—227), J.J. Lindsey tied for 71st (75-81-75—231) and Brett Hogan was 79th (78-77-80—235) to round out the UTSA lineup.
Illinois captured the team title at 19-under 845, followed by Texas State (867), Louisiana-Lafayette (873), Kent State (876) and Kansas (877).
The Roadrunners will return to action at next weekend's Border Olympics in Laredo. The two-day tournament is scheduled to tee off on Friday, March 13.