Strong Start on Wednesday Propels Privateers to Third Place in the Southland Championship

FINAL RESULTS | DAY ONE RECAP | DAY TWO RECAP
 
KERRVILLE - The University of New Orleans golf team got off to a strong start on Wednesday afternoon, moving up one place to finish third with a score of 875 at the 2024 Southland Conference Championship.
 
Senior, Ryan Fulton became the fifth Privateer to earn Southland Conference All-Tournament honors after finishing tied for fifth place on Wednesday afternoon. He joins Grayson Gilbert (2023), Brady Bennett (2022), Max Hellstrom (2019), and Markus Kreiger (2016) as Privateers who have earned a spot on the Southland's All-Tournament team. It was the third top-five finish of his career on the Lakefront.
 
The UNO veteran capped off his final tournament in style with a 40-foot winding putt for birdie on 18 to leave him at 2-under-par for the afternoon. The Crowley native's final round score of 70 tied him with UIW's Joe Buenfield and Griffin Dorr of Southeastern for the lowest round in the field during round three.
 

@rynogolfz3 ends his career with a BOMB. ?????? #NOLAsTeam ????????? pic.twitter.com/EBSabtjKE0

— New Orleans Golf (@PrivateersGolf) April 24, 2024

 
Ryan made two birdies in his opening seven holes and another two on the back nine to finish with 11 – the most by a Privateer in the tournament. Fulton ends his senior season with 101 birdies, an eagle, and a scoring average of 72.7 – the 10th best in school history in a single season.
 
Kyle Bennett and Matt Weber both finished inside the top 10 for UNO as well. Bennett finished tied for eighth with a score of 219 after shooting a 75 on Wednesday. Weber finished tied for 10th with a score of 220 after shooting a 73 during the third round.
 
Kyle led the field in par-5 scoring average at 4.42 and finished with eight birdies and an eagle. He ends his season with a scoring average of 71.93 – the third-lowest season average in school history.
 
Senior Thomas Artigas finished his final tournament tied for 23rd with a score of 225 after rounds of 72, 80, and 73. Artigas was a key part of the Privateers' early momentum on Wednesday with three birdies in his first six holes, putting him 2-under-par through nine and leaving UNO in striking distance of second place.
 
Rounding out the scoring for the Privateers was senior Mason Roberts, who finished tied for 39th with a score of 237. Roberts, who improved 11 strokes between rounds one and two, moved up another three spots on the leaderboard during round three.

New Orleans' third-round score of 291 was the lowest in the field on Wednesday – one stroke better than Augusta. New Orleans' 160 made pars were second in the field, and the Privateers made 40 birdies and a pair of eagles over the last three days.
 
The Privateers finish the 2023-2024 season with a record of 78-43-3 and a 32-7-1 mark against Southland opposition. New Orleans set school records in scoring average (288.63) and team rounds below par (12). Their score of 875 was their second-lowest score in a Southland Championship after last year's 872, and the fourth-lowest score in any conference championship tournament in school history.
 
Augusta won the Southland Championship for the second year in a row with a score of 855, while Cole Stevens (Augusta) won the individual crown with a score of 210.
 
HEAD COACH LORIO
"Although this was not the finish we had hoped for - I am extremely proud of the guys. By any metric, this season has been one of the most successful years in the history of the program."

"We came out today with the goal of moving up the leaderboard and putting some pressure on the teams ahead of us and we did exactly that. To have the low round on the day today speaks volumes about the character and grit of our guys."

(on his seniors)
"Tommy, Mason and Ryan have helped change the trajectory of this program and I will be forever thankful for them. To finish their careers the last three years with a third, second and another third place finish in the conference proves that these guys have helped us become one of the better programs in this league."

FINAL RESULTS
3 New Orleans, U. of 292, 292, 291 | 875
T5 Ryan Fulton (3) 74, 73, 70 | 217
T8 Kyle Bennett (2) 72, 72, 75 | 219
T10 Matt Weber (1) 74, 73, 73 | 220
T23 Thomas Artigas (5) 72, 80, 73 | 225
T39 Mason Roberts (4) 85, 74, 78 | 237

WE ARE YOUR KREWE
For 54 seasons, Privateer student-athletes have had the unique experience of wearing New Orleans across their chests.  Like the city itself, our sports teams have been fueled by resiliency, grit, and the unquenchable desire to win.  Our city also houses the nation's biggest celebration each year. And much like a Mardi Gras parade krewe, we are tethered to our community through pride, tradition, a culture of acceptance, and finally our commitment to show that New Orleans is a world-class city to live, learn, play, and work. We invite you to become more involved with the only University that truly represents New Orleans all day, every day.  Join #NOLAsTeam, We Are Your Krewe! 

SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow @UNOPrivateers on Twitter, @UNOPrivateers on Instagram, like /UNOPrivateers on Facebook and subscribe to the UNOPrivateers YouTube channel.