LAREDO, Texas — Led by a top-15 finish from Chad Sewell, the UTSA men's golf team finished in sixth place at the Border Olympics, which wrapped up on Tuesday at Laredo Country Club (par 72/7,375 yards).
Sewell finished in a four-way tie for 15th place at 4-over-par 220 to lead the Roadrunners in their season-opening tournament nearly one year to the day since their last competition as a team. The senior from Conroe fought back from an opening-round 75 with a 1-under 71 that featured four birdies in the second round, which spanned Monday and Tuesday due to darkness. He posted a 74 for the final 18 holes and tallied nine birdies for the event en route to his sixth career top 15.
UTSA ended up at 24-over 888, carding a two-shot improvement in each of the three rounds from a 298 in the opening round on Monday to a 6-over 294 to close out the event on Tuesday. The Roadrunners finished ahead of a pair of ranked teams in the 18-team field, as they were one shot better than seventh-place and No. 13 Baylor (889) and nine strokes in front of 43rd-ranked Kent State (897), which finished ninth.
Christian Fanfelle used a team-best 10 birdies to help him turn in a 223 and tie for 25th place. After opening with a 78, the junior all-conference performer fired a 74 in the second round and then closed with a 1-under 71 that was highlighted by six birdies, including three straight on Nos. 16-18.
Hunter Bott was two strokes behind Fanfelle in a tie for 29th with a 225. The sophomore from Montgomery bounced back from an 80 in the first round with a 1-under 71 that was buoyed by six birdies and an eagle on the 557-yard, par-5 17th hole. He posted a 74 that included a pair of circled numbers on his scorecard in the final round.
Collin Clark tied for 37th with a 226 that included a 1-under 71 for the first round and a 75 for the final 18 holes.
Michael Rome rounded out the UTSA lineup in a tie for 69th with a 232 (74-83-75).
No. 26 Texas A&M captured the team title with a 2-under 862 behind individual medalist Dan Erickson. The Aggies were followed by ninth-ranked Texas (870), Houston (873), Sam Houston State (885) and ULM (887) in the top five.
The Roadrunners will return to the course next Monday-Wednesday, March 1-3, when they compete in the Cabo Collegiate at TPC San Antonio.
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