BEAUMONT, Calif. – Senior Tyler Weir shot an even-par 216 to tie for fourth-place and help UC Santa Barbara to a fourth-place finish at UC Riverside’s Braveheart Classic at the Oak Valley Golf Course in Beaumont, Calif., on Tuesday.
Perhaps the most significant development, however, was the loss of Andrew Gunson, one of the team’s top players, who injured his hand on the final hole of the second round on Monday.
“We had to play the final round with just four players,” said Gaucho head coach Steve Lass. “The question of whether we would have held on and won the tournament if Andrew hadn’t gotten hurt is insignificant. The question is whether he will be able to play in the conference tournament, and right now we don’t know.”
The league tournament is next-up for UCSB. The Big West Championship will be held on May 2-3 at the Mission Viejo Country Club in Mission Viejo, Calif.
The Gauchos were tied for the team-lead with St. Mary’s after two rounds at 6-over par 582. Gunson was the team’s leader at 1-under par 143, good for fourth-place, but he was unable to return Tuesday.
Weir did his best to pick-up the slack as he carded a 3-under par 69 in the final round.
Sophomore Glen Scher finish tied for 16th at 4-over par 220, while Paul Otte tied for 30th at 9-over 225.
UCSB finished with three-round score of 879, two shots back of third-place St. Mary’s, seven back of Loyola Marymount and nine behind the team champions, Long Beach State.
Jake Sarnoff of Loyola Marymount won the tourney with an 8-under par 208. Anders Engell of St. Mary’s was second at 5-under 211.
