WICHITA FALLS, Texas —Facing a challenging field and high winds at the Wichita Falls Country Club, Patrick Russo finished Tuesday’s final round of the Midwestern State Invitational right where he started it – sitting in third place among the individual leaderboard. Russo shot a 4-over 75, rounding out the 54-hole tournament with a 7-over 220, giving the freshman his first top-five finish of his Lion career.
Russo’s performance lent a sense of consistency for the A&M-Commerce golfers as the Lions staved off a handful of challengers, shooting a 23-over 307 despite the harsh wind conditions to place sixth in the 16-team field with a three-round total of 63-over 915. It marks A&M-Commerce’s fourth top-10 finish of the year.
Russo, who finished six strokes back of first and one shot out of second, was not alone among the top-20 as teammate Christopher Leasor shot a team-best 3-over 74 on Tuesday, finishing tied for 17th overall with a 14-over 227 – his third top-20 finish of the season. Aaron Cockerill (19-over, 232) also finished in the 70’s for his final round, shooting a 6-over 77 to finish tied for 36th individually. Matt Loyd (24-over, 237) and John Moug (39-over, 252) rounded out the Lion scorecard.
The Lions knew Tuesday would prove to be a competitive day as eight teams entered the final 18 holes separated by just six strokes. A&M-Commerce just missed a top-five finish, sitting three strokes back of fifth-place Cameron (60-over, 912). But the Lions were able to hold off St. Mary’s (65-over, 917), Missouri Southern and West Texas A&M (68-over, 920) to solidify the sixth-place showing. A&M-Commerce also finished ahead of three other Lone Star Conference opponents in Southeastern Oklahoma (12th), East Central (13th) and Incarnate Word (14th).
Oklahoma Christian (40-over, 892) held off a surging Newman (48-over, 900), taking the team title by eight strokes. The LSC then had a strong showing in the middle of the top-10 with Northeastern State (49-over, 901), Midwestern State (58-over, 910), Cameron and A&M-Commerce occupying the third through sixth spots in the team standings.
Up next for the Lions is a trip to the desert southwest,traveling to Phoenix, Ariz. to compete in the GCU Thunderbird Invitational next Monday, March 28, and Tuesday, March 29.
2011 Midwestern State Invitational Final Results 3rd – Patrick Russo – 75-70-75=220 (+7) T-17th – Christoper Leasor – 76-77-74=227 (+14) T-36th – Aaron Cockerill – 79-76-77=232 (+19) 54th – Matt Loyd – 75-80-82=237 (+24) T-79th – John Moug – 81-90-81=252 (+39)