Houston men’s golf closes out fall schedule at Bryson Invitational

Houston men’s golf closed out its fall schedule with an encouraging performance at The Bryson Invitational in Charleston, S.C, improving each round and finishing 12th overall with a 2-under-par total of 862. 

Competing at the Ralston Creek Course at the Daniel Island Club, the Cougars saved their best for last, firing a 7-under 281 in Wednesday’s final round, which is their lowest team score of the tournament and their 10th sub-par team effort in 12 rounds this fall.

Sophomore Hsuan-Yi Chen got the Cougars off to a strong start in the opening round, shooting a 1-under 71 behind six birdies to lead Houston and tie for 19th early on. 

Despite a rough start to his day, the Taiwan native rebounded quickly, draining back-to-back birdies before making four in a five-hole stretch to close under par. The team finished the first day in 11th with a score of 290.

In Round Two, junior Chi Chun Chen provided the spark. After opening with a double bogey and two straight bogeys, Chen turned things around with a red-hot back nine that included six birdies over his final ten holes. 

His 3-under 69 helped him climb more than 20 spots on the leaderboard and pushed Houston to a 291 team score. The Cougars were in 14th heading into the final round. 

Senior Hudson Weibel stayed steady with a 71 that moved him inside the top 25, while Chen, senior Kevin An and junior Grant Doggett remained close behind.

The Cougars finished their week with their best collective showing on Wednesday. An led the way with a 3-under 69, highlighted by four birdies and just one bogey. 

Weibel and Doggett each added rounds of 70, combining for nine birdies between them. 

Weibel ended the tournament as Houston’s top finisher, tying for 21st at 3-under 213. An tied for 46th at 218, while Doggett and Hsuan-Yi Chen shared 51st at 219. Chi Chun Chen rounded out the team in a tie for 59th at 220.

Houston now turns its focus to the spring season after a productive fall stretch that showed several encouraging individual performances. 

The Cougars will return to action February 16–17, when they host the Border Olympics at Laredo Country Club. 

The team will then travel to Cabo San Lucas for the Cabo Collegiate from March 1–3 before coming home to host the All-American Intercollegiate at the Golf Club of Houston on March 16–17.

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