April 29, 2009

KERRVILLE, Texas - The Lamar men's golf team held a five-shot lead entering Wednesday's final round of the Southland Conference Championship but found itself in a dead heat after the rain and wind wreaked havoc on the field in the late morning.

But the Cardinals regrouped and after being tied with UTA following seven holes, took command on the eight and ninth holes at The Club at Comanche Trace to lay claim to their fourth-consecutive and 23rd overall SLC crown.

Junior Hugues Joannes birdied No. 8 and 9, and freshman Xavier Feyaerts birdied No. 8, while UTA was forced to use a double bogey on eight and a bogey on nine, giving Lamar a six stroke lead. The margin was never closer than that over the remaining nine holes as LU won by ten shots - its largest lead of the tournament.

"We lost our lead with all of the rain and wind early on and I think we felt like the five shot lead was a lot," Lamar head coach Brian White said. "But I would say that's probably the best comeback we've had since the 2007 NCAA Championship when we shot 275 and moved up nine spots. But today, we had a little lead, blew it and then the guys played fantastic coming in."

Lamar's 290-277-292--859 was just four strokes shy of its season best as the Cards secured the league's automatic berth to their ninth-consecutive NCAA Regional. The NCAA field will be announced on Monday evening for the six regional sites that will be played May 14-16.

With the team title wrapped up, it was a matter of how the individual race would shake out. For senior Justin Harding, he made sure to add a little drama to his final SLC appearance. After bogeying two of his first three holes, he made 14 pars and birdies at Nos. 10 and 18 to work his way into a three-man playoff at 212.

But despite falling to Southeastern Louisiana's Cedric Scotto on the second playoff hole, he posted his third-straight top-six finish at the SLC's marquee event.

"He was two-over after three and got it back to even," White said. "He then came home knew what he had to do on 18, and he made a 30-foot birdie and that was just awesome."

Joannes and freshman Kevin Hesbois both collected top-five finishes with their matching 215 totals.

Joannes turned in his second top-five finish in as many years since transferring to Lamar prior to last season. His 74 on Wednesday put him at 215, one-under for the tournament.

Hesbois' fifth-place showing was the highest by a Cardinal freshman at the SLC Championship since Chris Stroud won the event as a first-year player in 2001. He finished with 39 pars to lead the tournament.

"(Kevin) grinded it out and played fantastic," White added. "I walked with him and he stayed in it mentally all day. When your fifth guy finishes fifth and plays as well as he did that makes you so happy as a coach and I am very proud of the way he finished."

Senior Leroux Ferriera concluded the tourney with a 76 for a 220 and a tie for 11th. He played the final 14 holes at even par after two bogeys and a double in his opening four holes.

Feyaerts finished with 14 birdies in the tournament. On Wednesday he opened the round with a double bogey and three bogeys before collecting five birdies and a bogey over his final 14 holes to shoot a one-over 73 and finish tied for 14th at 221.

1 Lamar University -5 F 290 277 292 859
T1 Justin Harding -4 F 71 69 72 212
T5 Kevin Hesbois -1 F 72 70 73 215
T5 Hugues Joannes -1 F 73 68 74 215
T11 Leroux Ferriera +4 F 74 70 76 220
T14 Xavier Feyaerts +5 F 76 72 73 221

Team Results
1. Lamar University -290 -277 -292 --859
2. Texas-Arlington -284 -288 -297 --869
3. Southeastern La. U. -292 -288 -291 --871
4. UTSA -298 -285 -301 --884
5. Texas State -305 -291 -298 --894
6. Stephen F. Austin St -306 -282 -307 --895
7. Sam Houston St. U. -309 -291 -296 --896
8. Central Arkansas -296 -293 -308 --897
9. Nicholls State Univ. -327 -300 -307 --934
10. McNeese State Univ. -310 -306 -319 --935