PARTRIDGE 2ND, DRAGONS TIE FOR 4TH AT RYAN PALMER INVITE
Hutchinson CC Sports Information
AMARILLO, Texas – Sophomore All-American Ben Partridge fired a third-straight under-par round to lead the No. 1-ranked Hutchinson Community College men's golf team to a fourth-place tie on Tuesday at the West Texas A&M Ryan Palmer Foundation Invitational at the Amarillo Country Club.
Partridge finished with a 1-under par 70 on Tuesday to tie for second place individually.
The Blue Dragons shot a 3-over par 287 and tied Jayhawk Conference rival Garden City for fourth place at 854. The Blue Dragons and Broncbusters were the highest-finishing NJCAA teams in the NCAA Division II-heavy field. Tournament host West Texas A&M won the tournament at 837 (-15).
Hutchinson had a school-record seven-tournament winning streak, which dated back to the second spring tournament of the 2020-21 season, come to an end.
The Blue Dragons counted Partridge's 70, Blake Saffell's 71, Harry Crockett's 72 and Dominic Clemons' 74 in its team score on Tuesday. Garden City made up a lot of ground on the Blue Dragons in the final round, shooting a 6-under 278.
With rounds of 65, 70 and 70, Partridge tied for second with West Texas' Eemili Jarvinen and 8-under 205. Cameron University's Tyler Kaman birdied his final hole and won individual honors at 9-under 204 after a final-round 68.
Crockett was the only other Top 20 individual placer for the Blue Dragons. Crockett finished in a five-way tie for 14th at even-par 213.
Clemons tied for 40th at 5-over 218. Saffell tied for 43rd at 6-over 219. Sophomore Cameron Rios-Ceballos finished with a 75 on Tuesday and tied for 62nd overall at 224.
Blue Dragon individual players Addison Alonzo and Finn Nelson had strong tournaments.
After shooting a career-low 69 on Monday, Alonzo closed with back-to-back 73s and tied for 25th at 2-over 215.
Nelson got stronger as the tournament went on. Starting with a 78 in the opening round on Monday, Nelson shot 71 in the second round and closed with a 2-under 69 on Tuesday to tie for 40th at 5-over 218.
The Blue Dragons are back in Texas next week for the Midwest State Fall Invitational in Wichita Falls, Texas on Monday and Tuesday.