INDIVIDUAL LEADERBOARD TEAM LEADERBOARD
DUPONT, Wash. – Saving his best round for his final round of the season, Montana State University Billings' men's golfer,
Gage Huft, shot three-under-par at the 2013 NCAA Div. II South Central/West Region Championships Wednesday.
Huft carded six birdies in the third and final round at the Home Course which played 7,073 yards. Just as he did in the second round, the sophomore opened Round 3 on the back nine. Huft birdied the ninth and 10th holes, along with two other holes on the back nine. He hit two more birdies on the front nine, and along with six pars.
“I am extremely proud of Gage for the way he played today, along with all year,” Montana State Billings' Head Coach Shawn O'Brien said. “He was great off-the-tee and his irons gave him some great birdie opportunities today. Gage is a wonderful person, who I am happy for making the national tournament and representing MSUB golf and our university.”
The Kimberly, Idaho native, finished the tournament in 44th place with a four-over-par. Huft's four-over-par was a program-best for MSU Billings' men's golf. He finishes the 54-hole tournament as the only sophomore to ever play in a national-championship event in MSUB men's golf history. Nick Larson competed as a junior and senior in 2005 and 2006. He finished 30th in the 2005 South Central Regional and 25th in the 2006 West Regional.
Huft recorded a 75 in the first round, a 76 in the second round, and a 69 in the final round. He had the third best score of an individual-qualifier in the field. He hit 13 birdies and 26 pars in the tournament.
Western Washington's Kyle Schrader fired a 6-under par 66, to take medalist honors by two strokes, and Cal State Monterey Bay withstood a fierce challenge from the Vikings to win the team title by one stroke. Schrader , who entered the final day tied for sixth, finished with a 54-hole total of 206 in becoming the school's first regional medalist. His 66 tied for the best round of the tournament.
Schrader finished two strokes ahead of runner-up Kevin Witte (72=208) from Colorado-Colorado Springs, who held a one-shot lead following Tuesday's round.
CSUMB, ranked No.6 nationally and the No.1 seed in the West Region, had a winning score of 10-under 854, one shot better than the Vikings (286=855). The Otters held four-shot leads over WWU on each of the first two days.
The Otters were led by Alex Sobstad (72), who tied for third at 210, with Eric Ash from Sonoma State (69=210). Ash is one of two individuals from non-qualifying teams going to nationals. The other is Hawaii-Hilo's Dalen Yamauchi, who placed fifth at (74=211).
CSUMB and WWU each qualified for the NCAA Div. II Championships on May 20-24 at Hershey, Penn., along with Grand Canyon (285=856), Colorado-Colorado Springs (290=861) and Cal State Stanislaus (285=863), the next three placers. Cal State Stanislaus was the Central/West Regional winner last year.
Hawaii Hilo finished sixth in the 20-team field at even par 864 (287), and Chico State placed seventh at 865 (293). Chico State was the Central/West Regional runner-up in 2012 before winning the stroke play portion at nationals and then finishing second in medal/match play.
Chico State's Scott Raber recorded a hole-in-one on the par 3, 157-yard No. 14 hole. His 7-iron shot was the 20th ace on that hole in the six-year history of the course. On Tuesday, Dallas Baptist's Kyle Beard had a hole in one on the sixth hole.
The 54-hole tournament is one of four regionals taking place across the country. The South Central/West hosts are the Great Northwest Athletic Conference along with WWU and Saint Martin's.
