TEXARKANA, Ark. — Four WKU golfers fired their best round of the 2018 Conference USA Championship on Tuesday, completing the day with a 2-over 290 team total.
The Hilltoppers improved by 10 strokes from their second round and finished ninth as a team with an 894 (304-300-290) tally. The top four teams will decide the team champion in match play.
WKU's final-round 290 was its best team score in a conference tournament since 2008.
"I am happy for the guys to have a solid last round," WKU head coach Phillip Hatchett said. "It shows that we can play this course as well as anyone. With conference back here next year, it does a lot for our confidence moving into the next season's preparation for the C-USA Championship.
"Everybody played solid today on a day when the pins were tucked in some very difficult spots on the greens. Everybody kept a level head and fought hard all day. I am really proud of the gritty performance."
Individually, redshirt junior Billy Tom Sargent continued to find his groove and ended the tournament with a 2-under 70. He tied for 11th overall with a 219 (75-74-70) total.
Just as he did last year, when he tied for 12th in the C-USA Championship, Sargent's 11th-place finish is the best by a Hilltopper in a conference tournament since 2010. Alex Yost tied for sixth in that year's Sun Belt Conference Championship.
"Today was a perfect day for golf with perfect weather, and I just wanted to go out there and give it all I had," Sargent said. "We were a little too far from the top four to be in contention to get into match play, so that wasn't really on my mind. I just wanted to have a good start and keep the momentum going. … I am extremely proud of how the team finished today with the second-lowest score of the day. Everyone played pretty solid and really fought back for a respectable finish on a tough course."
Sargent notched five birdies in Tuesday's final round of stroke play, including two of his first three holes and two of his last three holes.
His 219 score is the best by a WKU golfer in a conference tournament since Cameron Beal also shot 219 at the 2014 Sun Belt tournament.
"I am really happy for Billy Tom finishing with a 70 and an 11th-place overall performance," Hatchett said. "The last three tournaments have been a grind for him playing with a knee brace on and enduring a lot of pain. As usual, he never complained but toughed it out with a super solid round today when he needed it."
Junior Stuart Easton followed Sargent in a tie for 21st, shooting an even-par 72 on Tuesday to finish with a 222 total.
Redshirt sophomore Linus Lo and sophomore Tom Bevington each shot 2-over 74s in the round – their best efforts of the tournament – and tied for 31st and 36th, respectively.
Freshman Crimson Callahan placed 58th at 238.
WKU recorded five top-five performances as a team this season with two 6-under outings that produced 858 totals.
The program also had 21 top-25 individual results, 11 top-10s and six top-fives, including a win by Sargent at the Border Olympics.
The Hilltoppers will return their entire competing five from this year's C-USA Championship next season and graduate one senior, Bryant Evans.
"Going into the offseason, this really gives us an indication of what exactly we need to work on," Hatchett said. "Works starts very soon, and I know these guys are looking forward to it."
2018 Conference USA Championship Final Results
T11. Billy Tom Sargent (75-74-70-219)
T21. Stuart Easton (76-74-72-222)
T31. Linus Lo (76-76-74-226)
T36. Tom Bevington (77-76-74-227)
58. Crimson Callahan (77-82-79-238)
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