LIHU'E, Hawai'i – Sam Bennett fired an 11-under-par, 61 in Friday's third round to cut a five-stroke deficit and claim a share of the medalist honors at the John Burns Intercollegiate.
Bennett shared the top spot with California's Sampson Zheng with a 54-hole tally of 18-under, 198. The product of Madisonville, Texas, tamed the par-72, 7,156-yard Ocean Course at Hokuala with birdies on 10 of the first 13 holes in his final round and clinched a share of the top spot by sink a birdie putt on the 18th hole.
The round of 61 was two strokes better than the school record of 63 held by five golfers, including Cameron Peck, Jordan Russell, Brandon Smith, Chandler Phillips and Ben Crancer. Bennett's 11-under bested the school mark of 9-under set by Peck and Russell.
Leading all golfers with 22 birdies over the 54 holes, Bennett earned a share of his fifth collegiate tournament win with an 18-under, 198. The score tied his best mark at A&M, equaling the 18-under he shot to win the 2022 Louisiana Classics. The 18-under-par is the second best 54-hole tally in the Aggie record book behind Chandler Phillips 19-under at the 2019 Arizona Intercollegiate.
Bennett's charge helped lead the Aggies run up the leaderboard as the Maroon & White finished third with a 32-under, 832. Texas A&M had a lot of ground to make up after closing out the first round in 10th place. The Aggies climbed up to seventh after the second round and carded the second-best final round of the tournament at 21-under, 267. BYU won the tournament at 54-under, 810 and Arizona was the runner-up with a score of 36-under, 828.
Daniel Rodrigues had a strong final round, including six consecutive birdies en route to a 5-under, 67. He finished tied for 21st at 7-under, 209.
Jaime Montojo also closed out the tournament with a round in the 60s, firing a 3-under, 69 to finish tied for 26th at 5-under 211.
The fivesome was rounded out by Michael Heidelbaugh at 2-under, 214 and Phichaksn Maichon at even, 216. Every Aggie shot under par in the final round.
Playing as an individual, Vishnu Sadagopan was tied for 38th with a three-round tally of 3-under, 213.
The Aggies return to action on February 26-28 when they head to Las Vegas, Nevada, for the Southern Highlands Collegiate.
TEAM SCORES
1. BYU 273-271-266=810 -54
2. Arizona 278-276-274=828 -36
3. Texas A&M 286-279-267=832 -32
4. California 277-288-272=837 -27
` 5. San Diego State 292-279-269=840 -24
6. Long Beach State 278-284-282=844 -20
t-7. New Mexico 282-282-281=845 -19
t-7. Utah 288-284-273=845 -19
9. USC 294-274-279=847 -17
10. UTEP 282-282-284=848 -16
11. Fresno State 274-281-284=849 -15
12. Grand Canyon 287-276-288=851 -13
13. Santa Clara 283-293-276=852 -12
14. UNCW 295-278-280=853 -11
t-15. UNLV 296-282-278=856 -8
t-15. Washington State 294-283-279=856 -8
17. Nevada 286-292-280=858 -6
18. Sacramento State 283-285-295=863 -1
t-19. Saint Mary's (Calif.) 287-294-283=864 E
t-19. Loyola Marymount 297-285-282=864 E
21. Hawaii 288-296-283=867 +3
TEXAS A&M INDIVIDUALS
t-1. Sam Bennett 70-67-61=198 -18
t-21. Daniel Rodrigues 72-69-67=209 -7
t-26. Jaime Montojo 70-72-69=211 -5
t-38. Vishnu Sadagopan (i) 72-71-70=213 -3
t-45. Michael Heidelbaugh 73-71-70=214 -2
t-67. Phichaksn Maichon 73-72-71=216 E
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Bennett shared the top spot with California's Sampson Zheng with a 54-hole tally of 18-under, 198. The product of Madisonville, Texas, tamed the par-72, 7,156-yard Ocean Course at Hokuala with birdies on 10 of the first 13 holes in his final round and clinched a share of the top spot by sink a birdie putt on the 18th hole.
The round of 61 was two strokes better than the school record of 63 held by five golfers, including Cameron Peck, Jordan Russell, Brandon Smith, Chandler Phillips and Ben Crancer. Bennett's 11-under bested the school mark of 9-under set by Peck and Russell.
Leading all golfers with 22 birdies over the 54 holes, Bennett earned a share of his fifth collegiate tournament win with an 18-under, 198. The score tied his best mark at A&M, equaling the 18-under he shot to win the 2022 Louisiana Classics. The 18-under-par is the second best 54-hole tally in the Aggie record book behind Chandler Phillips 19-under at the 2019 Arizona Intercollegiate.
Bennett's charge helped lead the Aggies run up the leaderboard as the Maroon & White finished third with a 32-under, 832. Texas A&M had a lot of ground to make up after closing out the first round in 10th place. The Aggies climbed up to seventh after the second round and carded the second-best final round of the tournament at 21-under, 267. BYU won the tournament at 54-under, 810 and Arizona was the runner-up with a score of 36-under, 828.
Daniel Rodrigues had a strong final round, including six consecutive birdies en route to a 5-under, 67. He finished tied for 21st at 7-under, 209.
Jaime Montojo also closed out the tournament with a round in the 60s, firing a 3-under, 69 to finish tied for 26th at 5-under 211.
The fivesome was rounded out by Michael Heidelbaugh at 2-under, 214 and Phichaksn Maichon at even, 216. Every Aggie shot under par in the final round.
Playing as an individual, Vishnu Sadagopan was tied for 38th with a three-round tally of 3-under, 213.
The Aggies return to action on February 26-28 when they head to Las Vegas, Nevada, for the Southern Highlands Collegiate.
TEAM SCORES
1. BYU 273-271-266=810 -54
2. Arizona 278-276-274=828 -36
3. Texas A&M 286-279-267=832 -32
4. California 277-288-272=837 -27
` 5. San Diego State 292-279-269=840 -24
6. Long Beach State 278-284-282=844 -20
t-7. New Mexico 282-282-281=845 -19
t-7. Utah 288-284-273=845 -19
9. USC 294-274-279=847 -17
10. UTEP 282-282-284=848 -16
11. Fresno State 274-281-284=849 -15
12. Grand Canyon 287-276-288=851 -13
13. Santa Clara 283-293-276=852 -12
14. UNCW 295-278-280=853 -11
t-15. UNLV 296-282-278=856 -8
t-15. Washington State 294-283-279=856 -8
17. Nevada 286-292-280=858 -6
18. Sacramento State 283-285-295=863 -1
t-19. Saint Mary's (Calif.) 287-294-283=864 E
t-19. Loyola Marymount 297-285-282=864 E
21. Hawaii 288-296-283=867 +3
TEXAS A&M INDIVIDUALS
t-1. Sam Bennett 70-67-61=198 -18
t-21. Daniel Rodrigues 72-69-67=209 -7
t-26. Jaime Montojo 70-72-69=211 -5
t-38. Vishnu Sadagopan (i) 72-71-70=213 -3
t-45. Michael Heidelbaugh 73-71-70=214 -2
t-67. Phichaksn Maichon 73-72-71=216 E
For the most up-to-date information on Texas A&M men's golf, follow the Aggies on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.