Men's Golf breaks into Top 10 in national competition

Lamar University’s Men’s Golf team broke into the Top 10 teams nationally when it tied for 9th place at the 2006 NCAA Division 1 Men’s Golf Championship hosted by the University of Portland at Crosswater Golf Club (par-72, 7,630-yards). Lamar’s Dawie Van Der Walt finished fourth individually.

Van Der Walt, a sophomore from Cape Town, South Africa, fired a final round 5-under par 67 Saturday, which tied Billy Herschel of Florida for the best round of the day. He placed fourth with a 72-hole score of 7-under 70-70-74-67--281. He made eagle on the par-5 sixth hole for the second time this week, also posting a 3 on the hole in Thursday's second round. Additionally, he made four birdies and just one bogey in posting a 67.

Van Der Walt's round of 67 tied Trevor Dodds for the lowest round by a Cardinal golfer in NCAA Championship play. Dodds, who went on to play on the PGA Tour, posted a pair of 67s at the 1985 NCAA Championship in Haines City, Fla. Van Der Walt's four-day total of 281 is the best 72-hole score by a Cardinal golfer in NCAA Championship play, surpassing the 289 turned in by Dodds in 1985.

Lamar, who entered the final round tied for fifth place, posted a 5-over 293 Saturday and finished in ninth place with a 72-hole total of 292-283-290-293--1158, one-stroke behind UCLA and Clemson who tied for seventh place. The Cardinals posted the best finish by a Texas university as Texas A&M placed 14th and Texas Tech failed to make the cut to Saturday's final round.

Oklahoma State shot a final round 5-under 283 for a 72-hole total of 1143 to win the national title at the 109th NCAA men's golf championship. Florida, on the strength of a final round 9-under 279, moved up to second place at 1146. Washington, the 54-hole leader, shot a final round 13-over 301 and tied Lamar for ninth place at 1158.

Jonathan Moore of Oklahoma State, who won medalist honors at the NCAA Central Regional, made it two in a row as he shot a final round 3-under 69 for the second straight day to win medalist honors with a 72-hole score of 12-under 276. Chris Kirk of Georgia and Kyle Reifers of Wake Forest tied for second place at 8-under 280, one-stroke better than Van Der Walt.

Dusty Smith, a junior from The Woodlands, shot a 2-over 74 Saturday and tied for 10th place with a 72-hole score of 2-under 71-68-73-74--286. He made one birdie and one bogey on the front-nine to make the turn at even-par. He made a double-bogey on the par-4 11th hole and eight pars on the back-nine.

Oliver Bekker, a freshman from Stellenbosch, South Africa, posted a final round even-par 72 Saturday and tied for 57th place with a 72-hole score of 75-79-70-72--296. He made three birdies and three bogeys on the front-nine to make the turn at even-par 36. He made birdies on Nos. 13 and 16, but a double-bogey on the 14th hole left him at even-par for his round.

Casey Clendenon, a sophomore from Katy, shot a final round 8-over 80 and tied for 68th place with a 72-hole score of 76-659-73-80--298. Justin Harding, a freshman from Cape Town, South Africa, also carded a final round 8-over 80 and placed 78th with a 72-hole score of 76-76-79-80--311.

Van Der Walt and Smith were named PING All-America by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).

Van Der Walt was named to the PING All-America second team after posting a fourth place finish at the NCAA Championship with a 72-hole score of 7-under par 281. Smith earned honorable mention PING All-America honors, becoming the seventh different Lamar golfer to earn PING All-America honors.

Van Der Walt, who was named honorable mention PING All-America last year, finished the season ranked 35th in the Golfstat rankings and 68th in the Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index. Smith finished the season ranked 130th in Golfstat and 149th in Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index. Lamar, who was ranked No. 22 in the most recent GCAA/Bridgestone Coaches Top 25 poll, finished the season ranked eighth in Golfstat and 18th in Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index.

Lamar University's Brad McMakin was named Eaton/Golf Pride South Central Region Coach of the Year Wednesday and Oliver Bekker, Casey Clendenon and Van Der Walt were named to the PING All-South Central Region team, announced the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA).

McMakin, who is in his 10th year at the helm of the men's golf program, has guided the Cardinals to four Southland Conference championships and six straight NCAA Central Region appearances. Lamar has won seven tournament titles this season, which is the most among any NCAA Division I program. UCLA is second with six tournament titles.

A Beaumont native, McMakin has also been named SLC coach of the year five times. Lamar posted a fifth place finish at the NCAA Central Regional two weeks ago and is currently participating at the NCAA Championships for the first time in 20 years.