Robbie’s Final-Round 67 Leads T-Birds to WJCAC Qualifier Win
The Thunderbirds shot 4-under par to win the WJCAC Qualifier on Monday, April 8.
NMJC defeated Odessa College (-3) by one stroke after posting a 36-hole total of 564. The T-Birds shot 287 (+3) in Round 1 and 277 (-7) in Round 2.
The win marks the fourth time the T-Birds have won this spring and fifth time they have won this season. The Thunderbirds are gunning for their 11th WJCAC Championship and first title since 2011. This is the first stage of WJCAC Championship, which is a cumulative 6 count 4 three-tournament series between the WJCAC Qualifier, Southwest Championship, and District 2 Championship.
Travis Robbie was the top performer for NMJC finishing in a tie for fourth place at the par-71 Rockwind Community Links. Robbie opened his first 18 holes with a 3-over par 74. The Australian made seven bogeys, two birdies, and an eagle in Round 1.
Robbie's second round featured five birdies and just one bogey as he shot a tournament-low 4-under par 67 for a 36-hole total of 141 (-1).
Matt Walters placed T-9 with his performance this week at the WJCAC Qualifier. Walters fired a 2-over par 73 and a 1-under 70 to finish with a two-round total of 143 (+1).
The South African had three birdies and five bogeys in the first round. The second round had Walters recording five successive birdies between holes 3-7 and four bogeys between holes 9 and 15.
Henry Drake was consistent this week finishing a tie for 12th place. The Englishman posted back-to-back rounds of 72 (+1) to finish with a 36-hole score of 144 (+2).
Drake was frustrated by his performance with the flat stick on Monday. He opened his first 18 with two birdies, a double, and a bogey. The freshman bogeyed four holes and rolled in three birdies on his second loop around the course.
Elias Pettersson joined his teammate Drake at 2-over par for the tournament following his rounds of 73 and 71. His first round was 2-over par and featured six bogeys and four birdies.
The Swede's second 18 was a roller coaster. The card had a triple, two bogeys, and five birdies. The highlight of the round was a chip-in birdie on the 240 yard par-3 15th hole. The shot proved to be vital for the T-Birds as they only won by a shot over the Wranglers.
A tale of two rounds was the best way to describe Kalle Svederman's 36 holes. Svederman's 2-under 69 left him just one-shot off the individual lead. The Swede notched four birdies and two bogeys in the first round.
The sophomore managed to sink three birdies in Round 2, but four bogeys and two doubles derailed a promising score as he went on to shoot a 5-over 76 to finish T-18 at 3-over par.
Giovanni Vezza rounded out the team score with a 3-over par T-18 finish. The Italian went 75-69 to shoot a 36-hole total of 145.
Vezza made six birdies and four bogeys in Round 2 on his way to a 2-under par 69. The freshman knocked in a big birdie on the par-3 10th, his third to last hole, to pull the T-Birds one stroke ahead of Odessa in the team score.
Jono Boediman was one of two independents the T-Birds played at the WJCAC Qualifier. Boediman came in a tie for seventh place after posting rounds of 74-68. The sophomore finished with a 36-hole score of 142 (E). Boediman made four birdies and one bogey in Round 2 to shoot a 3-under 68.
Andrew Park had a similar day to Kalle Svederman. Park was tied for the individual lead after 18 holes following a 3-under par 68. The Australian was 2-over with four holes to play when things began to unravel. He lost a ball on the drivable par-4 seventh hole which led to a double bogey. Then he bogeyed his final three holes to shoot a 7-over par 78. Park would finish the tournament as an independent in a tie for 21st at 4-over par.
The Thunderbirds compete next at the NJCAA Southwest Championship on April 15-16 at the Legends Golf Course in Kingsland, Texas.