Pettersson Shoots Low Round of the Tournament, T-Birds Place 4th

NMJC men's golf finished in fourth place at the Waco River Classic on Tuesday, Sept. 17. The T-Birds shot 16-over par for a 54-hole total of 880 (291-289-300).

Midland College won the tournament with a score of 4-under par. Western Texas and Weatherford College tied for second place at 11-over par.

Sophomore Henry Drake and freshman Oliver Ruutu led the team score players in Waco. Drake recorded rounds of 71-76-73 at the Bear Ridge Golf Club. The Englishman posted 4-over par in 54 holes as he finished T-26 in the second tournament of the year.

Oliver Ruutu tied with Drake at 4-over in 26th place. Ruutu went 71-74-75 through 54 holes at the classic. Freshman Nick Friedrichsen had an impressive first two rounds in Central Texas going 73-70. The Bixby, Okla. native faltered in his final round where he recorded a 78 on his way to a T-31 finish at 5-over par.

Andrew Park tied for 33rd place following rounds of 76-73-74. Park ended the tournament at 7-over. PJ Herron placed T-51 at 12-over par for the tourney. Herron shot 76-72-80 over three rounds of play to end the competition at 12-over.

Individual Elias Pettersson initially struggled on his first 18 holes with an opening score of 80. The Swede was able to bounce back with a tournament-low 5-under 67 in the second round. Pettersson finished his final round with an even-par 72 placing T-18 at 3-over par. The T-18 finish was the top performance by a Thunderbird at the Waco River Classic.

Frenchman individual Paul Noel tied with his teammate Herron at 12-over in 51st place after posting rounds of 75-77-76 in 54 holes of play. Jake Yrene was the last individual for the T-Birds out in Waco. Yrene shot 78-76-75 in three rounds to finish T-53 at 13-over par.

The Thunderbirds will travel to Ruidoso, NM for the High Country Shootout Sept. 23-24. The tournament will be hosted at The Links at Sierra Blanca.