Aggie Golfer Grahm Schmaltz Records Best-Ever Collegiate Tournament

[Utah State University] Senior golfer Grahm Schmaltz concluded his best-ever collegiate tournament with a 7-under 137 (69-68) to finish second individually and help Utah State place fifth as a team with an even par 576 (284-292) at the Southern Utah hosted Pat Hicks Thunderbird Invitational held here [St. George, Utah] at the Sunbrook Golf Club on Monday and Tuesday [Feb. 9-10].

The College of Charleston won the team title with a 13-under par 563 (285-278) and Dixie State's Kenny You took medalist honors with an 8-under 136 (67-69) to finish one stroke ahead of Schmaltz.

Schmaltz tied his collegiate-low round with a 4-under 68 on Tuesday and posted his best-ever tournament finish with his second-place showing, bettering his 11th-place finish at the Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational last fall [2014]. Schmaltz, who had a pair of rounds in the 60s this week, entered the tournament with just two career rounds under 70.

For Utah State, its fifth-place finish marks the third time in six tournaments this year it has recorded a top-five placing, and USU has now finished in the top 10 of every tournament it has competed in this season.

Joining Schmaltz on the leaderboard for Utah State was junior Seokwon Jeon who tied for 24th place with a 2-over 146 (73-73) and sophomore McCoy Willey who also tied for 24th place with a 2-over 146 (67-79). Willey began the tournament with a collegiate-low 5-under 67 on Monday. Other Aggies who competed in the tournament include senior Zach Waxler who tied for 42nd place with a 5-over 149 (77-72) and junior Brennan Coburn who tied for 70th place with a 13-over 157 (75-82). Sophomore Eli Rogers also competed for USU as an individual and tied for 42nd place with a 5-over 149 (77-72).

Utah State will return to action Monday, March 23, when it travels to Arroyo Grande, Calif., to compete in the Cal Poly Match Play Tournament.

TEAM RESULTS

Place	School	Scores [Feb. 9-10]	Totals
1	College of Charleston	285-278	563 (-13)
2	Southern Utah	293-276	569 (-7)
3	Utah Valley	281-290	571 (-5)
4	CS Northridge	288-286	572 (-2)
5	UTAH STATE	284-292	576 (E)

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

Place	Player	School	Scores [Feb. 9-10]	Totals
1	Kenny You	Dixie State	67-69	136 (-8)
2	Grahm Schmaltz	Utah State	69-68	137 (-7)
3	Brayden Eriksen	Utah Valley	65-73	138 (-6)
3	Michael O'Connor	CS Northridge	69-69	138 (-6)
3	J.T. Timmons	Utah Valley	68-70	138 (-6)

UTAH STATE INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

Finish	Player	Scores [Feb. 9-10]	Totals
2	Grahm Schmaltz	69-68	137 (-7)
T24	Seokwon Jeon	73-73	146 (+2)
T24	McCoy Willey	67-79	146 (+2)
T42	Zach Waxler	77-72	149 (+5)
T42	Eli Rogers	77-72	149 (+5)
T70	Brennan Coburn	75-82	157 (+13)