Results

CHANDLER, Ariz. - The UC Irvine men's golf team had a strong finish to the Wyoming Cowboy Classic as the Anteaters moved into a tie for 11th following Tuesday's final round at The Cattail Course at Whirlwind Golf Club.
 
The 'Eaters saw an improvement in each round, closing out the tournament with a 5-count-4 total of 857 (292-283-282). They climbed into the top half of the standings in a 25-team field that featured seven programs ranked among Golfstat's Top-75. UCI tied with No. 19 Kansas, while coming in ahead of 68th-ranked TCU.
 
No. 72 San Diego State defended its team title, running away with a 13-stroke victory. The Aztecs established a tournament-record 39-under 825. Long Beach State's Isaac Rodea was able to hold on to a one-stroke advantage to claim individual medalist honors at 13-under (65-69-69).
 
Sophomore Darien Zhao led UCI with his fourth top-20 showing of the season as he carded a collegiate-best 6-under 210 (73-67-70) to tie for 19th. He had an impressive final 36 holes where he registered eight birdies and only one bogey. Zhao's second-round 67 (-5) was the best of his young Anteater career.
 
Sophomore Henry Fitzhugh also tied for 33rd with a personal collegiate-best 1-under 215 (71-72-72), while redshirt freshman Johnny Bai made UC Irvine's biggest leap in the standings on Tuesday, jumping 28 spots into a tie for 40th. Bai recorded the first sub-70 score of his collegiate career with a third-round 69 (-3). He came in at even-par 216 (75-72-69), and had a team-leading 13 birdies.
 
Senior Nathan Irwin (73-78-71) and sophomore Kolbe Irei (78-72-72) tied for 89th at 6-over 222.
 
UCI will be back in action next week at the prestigious Western Intercollegiate at Pasatiempo Golf Club in Santa Cruz, April 11-13. It will be the Anteaters' final tune-up before the Big West Championships in May.