April 27, 2011
Complete Results
FORT WORTH - Junior M.J. Daffue birdied the first playoff hole on Wednesday at Waterchase Golf Club to win individual medalist honors at the Southland Conference Golf Championships, and help Lamar University finish second as a team.
Daffue, who became the 17th Cardinal to win individual medalist honors at the SLC Tournament, stuck a five iron to 12 feet on the par-5 18th hole. Jad Sinclair of Central Arkansas found himself in a greenside bunker after his second shot of the playoff.
Sinclair's third shot went over the green, and his fourth left him 20 feet below the hole and putting for par. Daffue struck his eagle putt from just off the green to less than a foot and tapped in for a birdie and the victory.
"It helped knowing he was in the bunker because it's a match play situation at that point," said Daffue of his thought process before hitting his five iron. "I still just focused on my line because I knew he could still make birdie. I wanted to hit a good shot and put the pressure back on him."
The Cardinals closed with the second best round of any team on Wednesday, shooting a 290 (+2) to finish with a three-round total of 872 (+8). UT Arlington, which benefited from playing on its home course, won its fourth SLC title with a final score of 862 (-2).
"To have an individual champion is great, but we had a good chance to win the team title," said LU head coach Brian White. "If we could have put together a better round on Tuesday, and got a little bit of help from our four-five spot, we could have put a lot of pressure on the top teams.
"We've had two individual champions in men's and women's, but also finished second in both events, which is a little bittersweet."
Defending champion Southeastern Louisiana faded late and finished third with an 873 total on the par-72, 7,304-yard course, one stroke behind the Cardinals. Central Arkansas placed fourth with an 884, followed by Stephen F. Austin (885), Sam Houston State (895), UTSA (896), Texas State (898), Nicholls (904) and McNeese State (921).
Daffue closed with a 67, the only player in the field of 50 to break 70 on Wednesday. After sitting in a tie for the lead for much of the back nine, Daffue bogeyed the 14th hole and suddenly found himself two strokes behind the leaders.
The native South African steadied himself and birdied the 16th and 18th holes to force a playoff. After nearly chipping in on 18 to win outright, Daffue was staring at a 6-footer to force the playoff. Coming off a tournament win at North Carolina State just one week earlier, Daffue calmly stepped up and knocked down the putt.
Juniors Xavier Feyaerts and Kevin Hesbois tied for 13th in the tournament, but got there in very different ways. Feyaerts had the Cards' second best final round after carding a 72. After opening with a 75, Feyaerts improved to a 73 on day two and finished the 54-hole event with a 220 total (+4).
Hesbois started the final round in a tie for sixth after rounds of 73 and 70 on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. However, Hesbois could not find a birdie until the 18th hole on Wednesday and closed with a 5-over par 77.
Sophomore Erik Knudsen, who was playing in his first SLC Tournament, tied for 21st after rounds of 74-72-77=223 (+7). Fellow sophomore Pierre-Alexis Rolland saved his best for last as he closed with a 74 to finish 30th at 227 (+11).
The Cardinals will now wait to see if the team, or any individuals, will be selected to play in the NCAA Regionals. Rolland played as an individual in the 2010 Southwest Regional, and the Cardinals last went as a team in 2009.
LAMAR
