The UTSA men’s golf team closed out their final home-tournament of the season with a second place finish in the Lone Star Invitational at Briggs Ranch Golf Club (7,247 yards/par 72).
UTSA freshman Zander Lozano had a standout performance, placing second among the field after dropping a sudden-death playoff to Texas Tech’s Hannes Ronneblad.
UTSA Head Coach John Knauer remarked on the progression of Lozano, saying, “The last two or three weeks he has really stepped up and shot as our top player. Coming into this (tournament) I had a good feeling that he’d play good, but I did not know he’d throw out a 68-67 on us and finally break through that glass ceiling.”
Lozano opened the tou rnament by shooting for par at 72 in the first round. He would go on to shoot 68 in the second round, leaving him 12th at 4-under-par after the first day of the competition. Lastly, Lozano shot an impressive 5-under round of 67 in the third and final round, vaulting him into a tie for first place.
“I knew after the first round I wasn’t doing great, but I was able to follow it up with that four under (par round),” said Lozano. “I honestly wasn’t even thinking about winning, and I put up a good round because I was walking with (assistant coach) Kyle (Collins),” he finished.
“He was very relaxed,” Collins remarked. “We wanted to change our demeanor this week and not really focus on the numbers but focus on the process at hand.”
Lozano finished the tournament with 17 birdies – second among all competitors – which included a stretch of 11 straight birdies on par five holes, placing him 10-under for par fives, an event-best.
“It’s almost always about confidence. When I have confidence, I know I can play with anybody,” said Lozano on his performance. “It still really hasn’t sank in, what I just did. I almost won my first college golf tournament,” he asserted with a big smile.
Lozano earned Co-Conference USA Player of the Week on the strength of his performance at the tournament. His selection makes him the third player on the team to be selected for the honor, along with sophomore Bryce Alley and junior Brett Hogan who has won the award twice. The four separate selections are the highest mark for any team in the conference.
“Anybody on my team can win a point for us,” said Knauer plainly, remarking on the breadth of talent the team boasts.
The team will compete next at the Aggies Invitational in Bryan, Texas, from Saturday, April 4 to Sunday, April 5.
