Lamar's M.J. Daffue wins Royal Oaks Intercollegiate
DALLAS, Texas - Lamar senior golfer M.J. Daffue won the
Royal Oaks Intercollegiate in record-setting fashion Tuesday, closing the
54-hole tournament with a 4-under-par 67 to win the event by three strokes.
Playing on the par 71, 7,068-yard Royal Oaks Country
Club, Daffue established a new 54-hole record in the event with an 11-under-par
total of 202. Daffue stumbled out of the gate Tuesday, bogeying two of his
first three holes. However, the 2011 Southland Conference Player of the Year
ran off six birdies over the final 15 holes, including shooting an impressive
31 (-5) on the back nine.
Daffue had already set a round one record Monday when he
opened the tournament with a bogey-free 65 (-6). The individual title marked
the third of Daffue's career at Lamar. The native South African picked up his
first win at last year's Wolfpack Spring Open, and then won medalist honors at
the 2011 Southland Conference Tournament.
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, Daffue was playing the
tournament as an individual and his scores did not count toward the team total.
Lamar tied for seventh with Houston after rounds of 285-289-288=862 (+10) to
close out the fall schedule.
Texas A&M edged Duke for the team title in the
14-team event, 830 to 831. The Aggies (-22) shot a 5-under par 279 on Tuesday
to hold off a strong charge by the Blue Devils (-21) who closed with an
11-under 273 to finish one stroke behind.
Oklahoma placed third at 7-under-par 845, with Augusta
State (848) and New Mexico (852) rounding out the top five. Host Baylor placed
sixth with an 853 total, nine strokes ahead of Lamar.
Lamar freshman Luke Jerling was nearly as impressive as
Daffue, finishing alone in fifth at 7-under-par for his best finish this fall.
Jerling opened with a 70, before posting back-to-back 68s to record a 206 total
for the tournament. Playing in just his fifth tournament of the college level,
Jerling birdied three of his final four holes Tuesday to move up the leader board.
Senior Kevin Hesbois opened the tournament with a 69, and
finished in a tie for 26th after shooting 73 in the second and third rounds for
a 215 total (+2). Fellow senior Xavier Feyaerts tied for 43rd with a 218 total
(+5) after rounds of 76-71-71.
Erik Knudsen tied for 70th in the field of 78 golfers
after carding a 76 (+5) in the final round. Knudsen shot 73 and 77 on Monday
for a three-round score of 226 (+13). Freshman Gustaf Burenstam finished two
shots behind in a tie for 72nd after scores of 73-78-77=228 (+15).