PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Tarleton State Men’s Golf capped off the fall portion of its 2025-26 season with victory, clinching its first-ever Division I team title at the FAU Invitational that concluded Tuesday at Panther National.
The Texans shot 8-under-par as a unit, eight strokes ahead of second-place winner USF. Tarleton State collected a 36-hole team score of 558, the second-lowest mark in the program’s Division I era. Tarleton State combined for 44 birdies, with three Texans tallying 5-under-par or better overall scores.
A trio of Texans collected a top 10 finish on the player leaderboard. Sophomore Luis Buech and freshman Maximilian Bjornstrom tied for third with a 6-under-par 138 performance, getting 10 birdies each for their career-best finishes. They cracked the top 10 for lowest 36-hole score by a Texan in the Division I era.
After representing Spain at the World Amateur Team Championships, redshirt freshman Alvaro Pastor continued his strong collegiate campaign. The Spaniard shot a season-low 6-under-par 66 in the first round, with his 18-hole score tying the third-lowest mark for a round in the program’s Division I era. Pastor finished the tournament with 12 birdies and an eagle, finishing with a 5-under-par 139 to tie for sixth.
Sophomores Kellen Young and Drew Ironside made key contributions to help the Texans, combining for 12 birdies. Young shot an even par 144 in the tournament to tie for 25th while Ironside finished with a 1-over-par 145 to tie for 32nd place.
“What an incredible way to finish off the fall season,” head coach Chance Cain said. “We were very fortunate to be able to compete at Panther National. It was a great test in all areas of our game. The team got off to an awesome start and kept the momentum the rest of the way. Everything we have been working on with our processes and mental routines paid off this week. We look to continue to build off that this offseason to be ready for the spring.”
The Texans rose to the top of the leaderboard from tee-off in the first round thanks to a combined 11 birdies in the first nine holes. 10 birdies on the back nine to go with a 12-under-par 276 first round allowed Tarleton State to remain on top of the team leaderboard heading into the second round.
Tarleton State stayed focused and chipped in 10 birdies on the first nine holes of the second round before hitting an eagle and three birdies on their final three holes of the tournament. Pastor came up with his second eagle of the season on the 7th hole. The third round was cancelled and the tournament was shortened to 36 holes due to weather.
Tarleton State comes back to action in the spring season, competing in the Bentwater Intercollegiate Feb. 9-10 in Montgomery, Texas.
Team Results
1. Tarleton State, 276-282-558 (-18)
2. USF, 281-285-566 (-10)
3. North Alabama, 281-293-574 (-2)
4. Abilene Christian, 290-286-576 (E)
T5. Stetson, 293-285-578 (+2)
T5. Jacksonville, 290-288-578 (+2)
7. FAU, 302-277-579 (+3)
8. Samford, 289-291-580 (+4)
9. Jax State, 293-289-582 (+6)
T10. Troy, 293-292-585 (+9)
T10. Seton Hall, 288-297-585 (+9)
T12. Campbell, 295-291-586 (+10)
T12. Creighton, 295-291-586 (+10)
T12. UCF, 295-291-586 (+10)
15. West Georgia, 301-298-599 (+23)
16. Navy, 298-304-602 (+26)
Individual Results
T3. Luis Buech, 70-68-138 (-6)
T3. Maximilian Bjornstrom, 69-69-138 (-6)
T6. Alvaro Pastor, 66-73-139 (-5)
T25. Kellen Young, 72-72-144 (E)
T32. Drew Ironside, 71-74-145 (+1)
Be the first to comment