Feb. 24, 2015
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PATTERSON, La. — South Dakota senior Sam Matthew shot one-under-par in the final round and finished with a three round score of two-over-par (218) to collect his first collegiate tournament title while the South Dakota men's golf team was declared a co-champion at the Atchafalaya Open on Tuesday. The 54-hole tournament lasted two days, had 45 competitors and had eight teams.
Matthew, who entered the day in a tie for first-place with New Orleans' Erik Dege at three-over-par, carded a round of 71 and was the only golfer to shoot under par in the final round. He won the event by four strokes over Dege and Incarnate Word's Austin Jordan, who both finished the tournament with a score of 222.
Matthew's previous best finishes were a pair of second-place finishes. He was second at the Beu/Mussatto Invitational held last spring and was second at the Jackrabbit Fall Classic last September.
Jordan Rykal added a top-five finish to the Coyote effort by placing fifth at nine-over-par (225). Cody Seal finished in a tie for 18th at 22-over (238), Grant Campbell tied for 32nd at 27-over (243) and Cole Peterson tied for 36th at 29-over (240) to finish out USD's scorers. Matthew Swanson competed individually and tied for 18th at 22-over.
The Coyotes tied Incarnate Word for the team title with a score of 920. Nicholls State (925), New Orleans (927) and Texas Pan-American (934) rounded out the top five.
South Dakota will next compete at the Sacramento State Invitational on March 9-10.
