The Bobcat men’s golf team holds a win/loss record of 46-43-1. Placing in the top five three times, the team shot under par twice in each tournament.
The team is nationally ranked at #136 with a scoring average of 290.1. With a positive record on the season secured, there is one tournament left before the Sun Belt Conference Championship.
Junior Sakke Siltala has been a bright spot for the men’s golf team, finishing in the top two, three times and being in the top seven, five times. The junior continues to show why he is the Bobcats’ leading player, being nationally ranked at #159. Siltala had his best two tournaments at the Bubba Barnett Intercollegiate shooting 12-under, finishing third and at the Kapolei Invitational shooting 3-under, finishing second.
Senior Jack Burke led the Bobcats in Hal Williams Collegiate. In the tournament, he shot 11-under having his best round in the first. He finished with seven birdies, one bogey which was on the last hole and finished 2nd out of 75, his best performance all season.
Freshman Jaxon Donaldson was another Bobcat helping Texas State claim the fourth place position. He shot 5-under where he was consistent all tournament long, not going positive once. He placed 15th in what was his best performance all season long. Siltala finished positive, with a +1 to be exact but did help contribute his part in round three, shooting 3-under recording four birdies and one bogey.
The Bubba Barnett Intercollegiate was another tournament where the team finished in fifth place, having their best round in second place, shooting 14-under. Junior Ben Loveard, with his best performance all season, shot 6-under, having his best round in the second as well, shooting (-8) where he led Texas State that round. Burke was the Bobcat to come behind Loveard, where he shot 5-under, recording only two bogeys on the front nine. Siltala finished third overall in this tournament but also finished third in shooting in that round for the Bobcats (-3).
The team did finish last this season at the Louisiana Classics, where each round the team never broke negative. Siltala did finish that tournament shooting 6-under and ranked 6th, and the next man up was Burke who shot 5-over and ranked 35. Loveard shot a (+12) and freshman Joel Talusen finished shooting 14-over.
The most recent tournament played was the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate hosted by the University of South Alabama in Semmes, AL. The Bobcats finished in the sixth spot, shooting a (+12) having their best round in the third going even. Siltala had a quiet tournament, however, shooting a 5-over 218 (76,71,71). Burke led the Bobcats that tournament, shooting 3-under 210 (72,68,70) and firing a 3-under 68 in the second round. The senior finished in the top 10, his second time doing so. Another note to add: Donaldson recorded his second eagle in the first round on the final hole of the tournament.
The team has been through highs and lows, but with the conference championship in less than a month, the focus should be on preparation for that. The Sun Belt Conference Championship will be hosted by Annandale Golf Club in Madison, MS, from April 22-24 in what will be the season finale for the men’s golf season.
