CORVALLIS, Ore. – Vandal men's golf finished tied for eighth at the Oregon State Invitational at Trysting Tree Golf Club in Corvallis, Oregon.
The Vandals were in fourth after two strong rounds on day one of the two-day 54-hole event, but struggled in tough conditions on Tuesday.
"We really needed to be on our game today with the length and the conditions and we just had too many guys have an off day," head coach
David Nuhn said. "We will look to find some more consistency as we get ready to head to Mexico."
One guy who didn't struggle was sophomore
Sam Johnson who finished tied for 14th in an outstanding field, just eight strokes off the lead with a three-round score of 217. It is his third top-15 finish in four tournaments this season.
"Sam's consistency has been outstanding so far this year," Nuhn said. "This field was incredibly strong, and the conditions were tough today, but Sam seems to keep showing how good he is even when things aren't ideal. Today he proved that he can contend with some of the best in the country."
Matt McGann had one of his best performances as a Vandal, finishing tied for 24th after opening with a two-under 69 in his first round. He closed with a three-round score of 220.
"Matt's progression is a testament to the work that he has put in, but also his understanding that every time he is on the course is a chance to learn and improve," Nuhn said. "To see how he has progressed the last three and a half years has been really impressive and he is just starting to show his potential."
Dalton Dean tied for 32nd with a three-round score of 222 and
Johannes Hounsgaard and
Joe Sykes finished in a tie for 66th with a score of 227.
Tommy Kimmel, playing as an individual, finished with a score of 240.
Nuhn knows that his team is on the verge of putting all the details together and is looking for a complete performance at the Monterrey International Invitational on Oct 27 and 28 in Monterrey, Mexico.
"You watch what the Vandal women did today (winning the Eagle Invitational) and we want to match that," Nuhn said. "We are excited for coach Young, for Yvonne Vinceri winning the individual title and their whole team. Our guys want to put it all together and bring home some hardware, too."
