March 26, 2005

LAREDO, Texas - The University of Houston golf team fired a final round 293 on Saturday to finish in fifth place at the Border Olympics at Laredo Country Club.

The Cougars finished the two-day tournament with a team score of 882, 30 strokes behind Baylor. Lamar finished second at 874, while Texas-Arlington (875) and Michigan State (879) rounded out the Top Four team leaders.

Sophomore Pablo Acuna posted a final-round score of even-par 72 Saturday to finish the 54-hole event at 1-over-par 217 and tied for fourth place. He was joined in that group by Texas-Arlington's Tyrone Mordt and Jeff Murray, Michigan State teammates Andrew Ruthkoski and Ryan Brehm and Lamar's Dusty Smith.

Other Cougars in action were Ricky Romano (74-73-74 - 21, t-21st), junior Kevin Newman (74-75-74 - 223, t-33rd), freshman Jordan Irwin (77-75-73 - 225, t-37th) and junior Zach Mowbray (73-79-75 - 227).

Junior Adam Young made his UH debut as an individual and finished 57th after shooting a 221.

Baylor's Jeremy Alcorn earned medalist honors after finishing at 7-under-par 209, one stroke ahead of teammate Chase Thomas.

There will be no rest for the weary as the Cougars wrap up a busy month of March. UH opens first-day play at the First Tee/UALR Collegiate Classic on Monday at Chenal Country Club in Little Rock, Ark.

It will be the Cougars' fifth tournament in the month of March alone and their second tournament in a five-day span.

TEAM LEADERBOARD
1. Baylor 286-284-282 - 852
2. Lamar 297-288-289 - 874
3. Texas-Arlington 298-285-292 - 875
4. Michigan State 293-295-291 - 879
5. Houston 291-298-293 - 882
6. Louisiana-Monroe 295-289-300 - 884
7. Rice 293-298-296 - 887
T8. Louisiana-Lafayette 288-300-302 - 890
T8. North Texas 299-293-298 - 890
10. Southeastern Louisiana 298-300-298 - 896
11. Texas State 305-306-305 - 916

INDIVIDUAL LEADERBOARD
1. Jeremy Alcorn, Baylor 73-69-67 -- 209
2. Chase Thomas, Baylor 69-70-71 - 210
3. Frank Buttacavoli, Rice 72-74-69 - 215
T4. Pablo Acuna, Houston 70-75-72 - 217
T4. Tyrone Mordt, Texas-Arlington 72-74-71 - 217
T4. Andrew Ruthlkoski, Michigan State 72-72-73 - 217
T4. Ryan Brehm, Michigan State 71-73-73 - 217
T4. Jeff Murray, Texas-Arlington 75-68-74 - 217
T4. Dusty Smith, Lamar 72-72-73 - 217
T10. Colton Turnquist, Baylor 72-72-74 - 218
T10. Andrew Metzger, Lamar 76-71-71 - 218
T10. Brian Meck, Baylor 72-74-72 - 218
T10. Tim Kunick, Louisiana-Monroe 77-69-72 -- 218

UH LEADERBOARD
T4. Pablo Acuna, Houston 70-75-72 - 217
T21. Ricky Romano, Houston 74-73-74 - 221
T33. Kevin Newman, Houston 74-75-74 - 223
T37. Jordan Irwin, Houston 77-75-73 -- 225
T41. Zach Mowbray, Houston 73-79-75 -- 227