Arkansas Tech University fired a blistering final-round team score of 281 on Tuesday to rally from 14 strokes down and win the men’s division of the Natural State Golf Classic at Red Apple Inn and Country Club in Heber Springs.
The Wonder Boys shot 302 in the first round on Monday and were in sixth place entering the final round.
First-round leader Southeastern Oklahoma State University followed up its opening-round 288 with a team score of 298 on Tuesday. The Savage Storm finished second with a 36-hole score of 586, three strokes behind Tech’s winning total of 583.
Arkansas Tech made up the deficit behind under-par rounds from Austin Gean, Luke Cornett and Putter Srinoon on Tuesday.
Gean shot 3-under par 68 to finish with a 36-hole total of 143. He took second place in the individual standings and was subsequently named Great American Conference men’s golf player of the week.
Cornett (T-8th, 76-70-146), Srinoon (T-8th, 76-70-146), Shawn Tsai (T-15th, 75-73-148) and Ryan Spurlock (T-30th, 77-75-152) also contributed to the Wonder Boys’ team championship.
Arkansas Tech’s Jackson Marseilles (T-60th, 79-82-161) participated as an individual.
The Wonder Boys will compete in the Great American Conference Championships April 22-24 at Hot Springs Country Club.
Arkansas Tech has finished in the top three of each of the first six men’s GAC Championships. The Wonder Boys were GAC champions in 2013 and GAC runners-up in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2017. They finished third in 2015.
