Team Results
Individual Results

HORSESHOE BAY, Texas – The American Southwest Conference Men’s Golf Championship is coming back to Seguin, Texas after the Texas Lutheran Bulldogs posted a tournament-low 302 Tuesday in the final round of the 2011 ASC Men’s Golf Championships.

At the Ram Rock Golf Course at Horseshoe Bay Resort, the Bulldogs took a final-round lead of five shots over the University of Texas at Tyler after TLU posted rounds of 314 and 307 on Monday.

On Tuesday, TLU put four scores in the 70s (dropping an 80 from the team total) to post a 302. Senior Ryan Kiel came home with a 71 after opening rounds of 76 and 77 to tie for the overall lead (losing in a playoff to Texas Tyler’s Jacob Walsh). Kiel was a member of the All-ASC First Team.

Bulldog freshman Chance Cathey finished in a tie for sixth after rounds of 77, 79 and 76 and claimed All-ASC Second Team honors.

Junior Chris Hyten and senior Dither Castro tied for 12th. Hyten carded rounds of 81, 78, and 78, and Castro brought home scores of 84, 73, and 80. Senior Nick Mehigan posted a 77 on Tuesday after rounds of 80 and 83 on Monday.

“We told them just to go out and play golf and be yourself,” said H.C. Tran, TLU’s head coach for men’s and women’s golf, when asked about playing with a five-shot lead entering the final round. “This (title) feels really great. I am so proud of the job the guys did and of the job that (Assistant Coach) Jason York did with them.”

Walsh and Kiel played two sudden-death playoff holes to decide the individual title. Both players posted par on the par-4 first. On the par-4 second, Walsh made a 10-foot par putt and watched as Kiel missed for par from about eight feet.

Walsh, a junior, claimed his first ASC title with rounds of 71, 79, and 74. Concordia Texas golfer Eddie Diaz de Leon, the 36-hole leader, took home third with scores of 71, 76, and 79.

Kiel was attempting to become a two-time ASC individual champion. He won the title as a freshman in 2007.


TLU downed Texas Tyler by 14 shots in the team race with a final total of 923. The Patriots (937) came home with a 311 after rounds of 310 and 316 on Monday.

The Patriots were followed by Schreiner (943), LeTourneau (944), Mary Hardin-Baylor (954), Concordia Texas (955), Mississippi College (973), University of Texas at Dallas (982), and Hardin-Simmons (1006).

TLU’s team title is the university’s third ASC Men’s Golf Championship and its third in the last six seasons. TLU also won conference titles in 2006 and 2007.

TLU Head Coach H.C. Tran took home his third ASC Men’s Coach of the Year award, tying him with UMHB’s Randy Mann for second-most all-time in the ASC.

TLU advances to the 2011 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships, to be held May 10-13 at Grandover Resort in Greensboro, N.C. TLU has a finish of seventh (2007) and two finishes of 12th (2005, 2006) at the NCAA Division III Championships.Notes:

NOTE: To watch the archived coverage of Monday and Tuesday action’s (including the awards ceremony) from the ASC Golf Championships click on http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/tlu.portal#. Click on the “On Demand” tab to access archived webcasts.

All-ASC First Team: Jacob Walsh, Texas Tyler; Ryan Kiel, Texas Lutheran; Eddie Diaz de Leon, Concordia Texas; Jay Chapman, Schreiner; Spencer Rothluebber, LeTourneau.

All-ASC Second Team: Chance Cathey, Texas Lutheran; Justin Weant, LeTourneau; Ryan Ratcliff, Mississippi College; Elliott Bingham, Mississippi College; Andy Bell, Schreiner; Robby Schimmels, Mary Hardin-Baylor.

ASC Men’s Golf Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year: John Willie, Louisiana College

ASC Men’s Golf Coach of the Year: H.C. Tran, Texas Lutheran