The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Vandy-Mason Rudolph Intercollegiate
Men's Golf Captures Mason Rudolph Golf Championship
9/23/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Sept. 23, 2003
NASHVILLE, Tenn. ----- Junior Chris Cousins followed his opening round of 67 with a final round 69, to lead the UAB men's golf team to the 2003 Mason Rudolph Collegiate Golf Championship here Tuesday. Cousins' six-under 136 was good enough for a share of the individual medalist honors - his first career tournament victory as a collegiate golfer.
"Coming into the week I wasn't hitting the ball well but I managed to find a rhythm and hit some putts," said the junior from Wales, U.K. "I missed a makeable four-footer on my last hole and figured that might cost me, but luckily it didn't."
UAB won the tournament by firing a team total of five-under par 563, which included Monday's school record round of 11-under 273. The Blazers went on to shoot a 290 in the final round to capture the title by 14 strokes over second-place Texas A&M, who finished play with a 577 (293-284).
"We ended up on a rather high note last year and with everyone back I was optimistic," said UAB head coach Alan Kaufman. "We did not play well in our first tournament this fall and, while I didn't lose confidence, I wondered if my hopes were too high. We played this tournament like we are capable of playing. I am very encouraged by our performance over one of the South's finest golf courses."
Freshman Garrett Osborn, playing in just his second collegiate tournament, carded a four-under 138. Osborn, a native of Birmingham, Ala., ended the first round as the clubhouse leader with a five-under 66, and followed that performance with a 72 on Tuesday to finish alone in third place.
Sophomore Tigh Van Leeuwen also had his career-best finish as a collegiate. The Serpentine, Western Australia native carded rounds of 71 and 72 to finish in a tie for seventh overall with a one-over 143. His previous best finish came at the Conference USA Championship last season where he placed in a tie for eighth overall.
Rounding out the Blazers were junior Ryan Thomas (75-77) and sophomore Clark Brown (69-83), each carding a 152 to place in a tie for 53rd overall.
Following the Blazers and Aggies was South Carolina, which placed third overall with a 580 (290-290). Tournament host Vanderbilt placed fourth overall with a 584 (295-289), while Ole Miss (290-296/586) and Kentucky (292-297/589) finished fifth and sixth, respectively. In all, 18 teams competed in the event.
The Mason Rudolph Championship was played for the first time at the Golf Club of Tennessee. It was shortened to a 36 hole event after heavy rains washed out Monday morning's opening round.
The Blazers will hope to continue the recent trend when they compete at the Adams Cup in Newport, R.I. on Sept. 29-30.
