BENTON HARBOR, Mich. - The top three teams heading into the final round all posted the lowest team scores of the day on Monday as Saint Mary's was able to hold steady in third place for their best finish of the fall season. The Gaels put up a solid 275 (-5) on Monday but San Jose State jumped two spots on the leaderboard with a round of 11-under-par to steal the team trophy. Nonetheless, Saint Mary's finished in red figures in two of their three rounds and got several standout performances to earn them their first top-three finish of the season. 

The Gaels got off to a hot start with a combined eleven birdies on the front nine from their four counting scores, jumping into first place for the majority of the round. The back nine proved to be the tougher of the two all weekend long as the scoring slowed down the stretch, allowing the Spartans to jump into first. Three of the team's four counting scores were even par or better with redshirt freshman Sam Baumuller recording a 66 (-4) to lead the charge in the final round. Baumuller jumped twenty spots on the individual leaderboard to finish t-10th for his second top-ten finish this season. 

Second year Gael Inigo Izuzquiza has been in the team's starting lineup in each of their three events this season and has quietly been one of the team's most consistent golfers to start the year. Izuzquiza tallied four birdies in his final round to finish two-under-par and jump twelve spots to finish t-24th individually. Avery Lazarski battled through an up-and-down round to finish even-par while Mitchell Hoey was the fourth counting score with a final round 71 (+1). 

Redshirt sophomore James Williams competed as an individual for Saint Mary's, finishing his three rounds at three-over-par. He got off to a great start with a 67 (-3) in his morning round on Sunday but dropped to t-32nd after back-to-back 73's. 

The full tournament leaderboard can be found HERE or at smcgaels.com. 

Saint Mary's will take some well needed momentum into a near three-week break as they prepare to host the Saint Mary's Invitational in Monterey starting on Monday, October 20th. The Gaels will return to Bayonet Golf Club after co-hosting at that same course last fall, seeking their first tournament victory since the spring of 2024. 

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