Men's Golf | 9/16/2014 11:12:00 PM

Final Results


AMARILLO, Texas – Senior Jose Hernandez drained a 15-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to take home medalist honors in the Ryan Palmer Foundation Invitational Tuesday afternoon at Tascosa Country Club. St. Edward's moved up one spot from day one to finish the tournament in eighth place as a team.
 
Hernandez (67-72-68=207) started the day tied for sixth and three shots behind leader Oscar Spolander (68-68-71=207) of West Texas A&M. Starting on hole eight for the shotgun round, Hernandez birdied two of the first three holes. On holes 15 and 17, the senior ended up in a greenside bunker but was able to get up and down to save par. Hernandez would bogey hole 18, but on his final hole he had a 30-foot putt to win. His try came up inches short and he was headed to a playoff.
 
The playoff took place on the 18^th hole where Hernandez had bogeyed earlier in the day. Both Hernandez and Spolander hit perfect drives to about 120 yards out from the hole. Hernandez hit his shot to the back of the green 15 feet away, while Spolander's approach went behind the green. Spolander chipped his third shot within three feet, but Hernandez drained the putt for his first victory as a Hilltopper.
 
"I am extremely happy for Jose," head coach Todd Ohlmeyer said. "He has really wanted this individual title and hopefully this is the first of many. He is the hardest working, most committed student-athlete I think I have ever been around."
 
Dillon Van Essen (68-70-71=209) also had an impressive first tournament as he shot one-under par in his final round to stay tied for third place. He was one of five golfers to shoot under par in every round. Van Essen rallied down the stretch, shooting two-under in his last six holes.
 
Joey Hearn (78-72-75=225), playing in his first tournament as a Hilltopper, finished tied for 59^th. Andres Rodas (76-78-73=227) ended tied for 65^th place, while Paul Drinkwater (79-80-76=235) ended in 79^th place.
 
 "Obviously we would like to have had a little better performance," Ohlmeyer said. "We now have a couple of weeks to get prepared for the Yale Tournament. The guys are anxious to get back out there."
 
Wayland Baptist (282-282-284=847) took home the team title, while UC-Colorado Springs (283-283-283=849) ended up in second place. St. Mary's (281-286-290=857) finished in third.
 
St. Edward's will be back in action Saturday Oct. 4^th when they take part in the Macdonald Cup. The two-day tournament will take place in New Haven, Conn. at the Course at Yale.