LAS VEGAS – Battling through sustained winds of 35 miles-per-hour on Wednesday at Stallion Mountain Golf Club, the Montana State University Billings men's golf team wrapped up the two-round Winona State Warrior Invitational.
 
The Yellowjackets settled for eighth place as a team, posting a two-round score of 659 (306-353) on the par-72, 7,152-yard course layout. "The conditions were unbelievably difficult," said MSUB head coach Jeff Allen. "A ball at rest on the green would get blown off with a gust of wind, and we just couldn't get the ball to sit still. It was unfortunate, and everyone had to endure that difficulty. Good shots weren't rewarded, and it didn't matter what the players did as they couldn't control it."
 
Only two players among the field of 76 were able to break the mark of 80 amid wind gusts that manipulated the position of resting golf balls throughout the entire round.
 
Junior Garrett Woodin finished in a tie for 20th place after posting a two-round score of 161. Woodin entered the day in a tie for eighth place, but followed Tuesday's 72 with an 89 in Wednesday's unmanageable conditions.
 
Caleb Trost also shot a 161 to tie for 20th, moving up eight spots on the leaderboard to finish the event. The sophomore managed an 85 on Wednesday, after shooting a 76 Tuesday.
 
Next down the list for MSUB was sophomore Riley Kaercher, who tied for 31st place with a two-day score of 164 (76-88).
 
Junior Payton Stott checked in at a tie for 56th place, as he shot an 84 on Tuesday and a 91 Wednesday for a two-round total of 175. Logan Martin also competed for the 'Jackets, and took a tie for 66th place with a final score of 180 (82-98).
 
Ian Carroll of Indianapolis and Michael Tait of Rocky Mountain College tied for first place, with each shooting a two-round score of 149. Conner Davis (79) and Jake Littlejohn (78) of La Verne were the only two players in the 70s on Wednesday.
 
Indianapolis held on to its Round 1 lead and ran away with the team total after shooting a 325 on Wednesday. Overall Indianapolis beat second-place Winona State by 22 strokes, with a two-round total of 609 (284-325).
 
THE BUZZ: Trost was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day.
 
COMING UP: MSUB is next in action at the Colorado School of Mines Bob Writz Invitational. The three-round event is scheduled to run March 23-24 at Bear Creek Golf Club in Lakewood, Colorado.
 
Winona State Warrior Invitational
Final Results | March 13, 2019
Stallion Mountain Golf Club | Las Vegas, Nevada
Team – 1. Indianapolis, 609 (284-325); 8. MSU Billings, 659 (306-353). Individuals – T1. Michael Tait, RMC, 149 (69-80); T1. Ian Carroll, Indianapolis, 149 (68-81); T20. Garrett Woodin, MSUB, 161 (72-89); T20. Caleb Trost, MSUB, 161 (76-85); T31. Riley Kaercher, MSUB, 164 (76-88); T56. Payton Stott, MSUB, 175 (84-91); T66. Logan Martin, MSUB, 180 (82-98).