Four tournaments. Three different individual champions. Two team
titles. The No. 1 team in the country.
Looking to add to an already impressive resume, the dynamic UCLA
men’s golf team fell just short of collecting their third
team championship of the season at the MacKenzie Invitational, held
at the Meadow Club in Northern California. The Bruins, who came
into Tuesday’s final round in second place behind unlikely
leader Northwestern, shot a cumulative total of 3-under par in the
third round to finish the 54-hole tournament at 17-under par and in
a tie for second place.
“The team played an average tournament and it was a big
disappointment to finish second,” coach O.D. Vincent said.
“We really never got much going (in the third
round).”
Host school California snatched the victory with a dramatic
comeback on the tournament’s final day. Entering the third
round 14 shots back of the leader, the Golden Bears posted an
11-under team total to finish the invitational at 19-under par, two
shots ahead of UCLA and Northwestern.
UCLA rode largely on the shoulders of senior All-American Steve
Conway, who claimed his first individual championship of the season
and the third of his collegiate career.
“I’m just really excited,” Conway said.
“I had one bogey for the entire tournament, and I don’t
think I’ve ever done that over 54 holes.”
Conway was the only player in the field of 80 players to post
three sub-70 rounds, shooting 67, 65 and 68 to finish his
tournament at 13-under par, six shots ahead of his closest
competitor. His three-round score of 200 was one off the all-time
Bruin record of 199.
“It was one of the more dominant performances I’ve
seen from an individual,” Vincent said. “Steve did a
fantastic job. He lapped the field.”
Conway joins teammates John Merrick and John Poucher as
UCLA’s third individual champion of the young season.
Senior Roy Moon, who struggled in his first two tournaments, had
his best tournament of the year to date. Moon shot a 1-under par 70
in Tuesday’s round to finish the tournament at even-par and
tied for 20th place.
Junior John Poucher also posted a 1-under par 70 in his final
round to take his tournament total down to 1-over par. Poucher
finished the tournament in a tie for 26th place.
Senior All-American Travis Johnson, who entered the day at
4-under par, struggled in the third round, shooting a 6-over par
77, finishing the tournament tied for 31st place at 2-over par.
Senior John Merrick rounded out the Bruins’ squad with a
2-over par 73 in the final round, leaving him in a tie for 36th
place at 3-over par for the tournament.