The UNM men's golf team grabbed a share of second place in the John Burns Invitational near Honolulu, Hawaii Feb. 19-21.
The team's success was due in part to a top-15 performance from its oldest member, and a top-10 from one of its youngest.
The Lobos shot under-par as a team in each of the three rounds, finishing with a 14-under total of 850, tied with the San Diego State University Aztecs, seven shots behind the University of Arizona.
"The guys played well all three days," UNM head coach Glen Millican said. "Arizona just played really well."
Indeed, the red hot Wildcats led from the opening bell, demolishing the Leilehua Golf Course with a three-day total of 843 (-21), giving them their second straight victory.
"They've got a lot of experience and are playing well right now," Millican said.
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UNLV, ranked No. 2 in the Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index, finished fourth, one shot behind the Lobos and Aztecs, while Southern Methodist University struggled on day three to a fifth place result, at 11-under-par (853.)
Scoring conditions were ideal throughout the week, as light rains kept the golf course soft and the infamous "trade" and "Kona" winds never blew.
"It rained a little bit each day, but the weather was pretty much perfect," said Lobo Jay Choi.
Choi, a true freshman, fired rounds of 71-72-69-212 to tie for ninth place individually at 4-under-par, four strokes behind SDSU's Lars Johansson. UNM's top finisher said that, for the most part, he was satisfied with his performance.
"I didn't do anything especially well, just played pretty solid," Choi said. "I struggled with my putting the first day, but I came back and did a lot of things better in the last round. It was awesome. I made some long putts and hit some good pitch shots, too."
Senior Michael Letzig finished one shot behind Choi at 3-under 213, in a tie for 12th. Letzig, who set the all-time UNM 54-hole scoring record (17-under-199) at the John Burns in 2001, struggled with his confidence in Hawaii, calling his performance a missed opportunity.
"I just couldn't make up my mind over the ball," Letzig said. "I'd drive it right down the middle of the fairway on every hole, then hit it to 40 feet."
Sophomores David Schultz and Madalitso Muthiya accounted for more than half of the Lobos' 14-under total, each carding a round of 68 in the tournament.
Muthiya's 68 came on day two, after an opening round of 76, and was UNM's sole sub-par round, Thursday. He closed with an even par-72 and a three-day total of 216, good for a share of 26th.
Schultz posted his 4-under round on Wednesday and was only one shot off the pace for individual honors. He fired a 1-over 73 Thursday to stay in the hunt, but faded to a final-round 78, eventually settling for a tie for 40th.
"I started hitting my irons bad in the second round and just never got it back," Schultz said.
Junior stalwart Ian Medlock contributed all three days, shooting rounds of 72-73-72-217 to finish tied for 34th.
Competing as an individual, junior Derek Abel finished tied for 64th.
Millican said that, overall, it was a satisfying week, noting a marked improvement in his team's consistency.
"In my opinion, we played a lot better than we did in Tucson," Millican said.
The players agreed, but felt like the John Burns Invitational was a good chance for victory gone by.
"Second place is still good, but I know we could've done better," Choi said.
The Lobos will travel to Sin City March 9-11 for the Las Vegas Intercollegiate.
