USAFA, Colo. – UC Davis senior
Thomas Hutchison capped off a record-setting weekend with a 1-under 71, winning the individual title by five strokes and helping the Aggies roll to the team championship at the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational hosted by the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado on Sunday.
Hutchison became the second UC Davis medalist in the team's last three tournaments along with teammate
Lucas Carper's victory at the Big West Conference Championships to end the 2020-21 campaign, finishing with a tournament record 15-under 201 on Sunday — the third-lowest tournament score by a UC Davis golfer in school history, trailing only
Tyler Raber's record of 199 (-14) at the Stockton Sports Commission Pacific Invitational in 2009, and Luke Vivolo's 200 (-10) at The Goodwin in 2016.
The win was Hutchison's second career collegiate victory — and the 54th overall by an Aggie since 1993 — but was his first since taking home the title at the Windon Memorial Classic back in 2018. Sunday marked the team's 42nd victory in that same span and the second in the last four tournaments dating back to UC Davis' win at its own El Macero Classic in 2021.
Running away from the field, the Aggies finished at 33-under for the tournament, winning the championship by 24 strokes over second-place Nevada, which finished at 9-under for the weekend. UC Davis' team total of 831 is the sixth-lowest team score in school history and the lowest since scoring an 827 at The Goodwin in 2016.
Aside from also being a tournament record, the 33-under total is also the second-lowest score relative to par in school annals, trailing only the 45-under en route to a fourth-place finish at the SCVB Pacific Invitational in 2012, which stands as a school 54-hole record score of 819.
With his 71 on Sunday, Hutchison has now broken par in all six of his rounds this year and has scored par-or-better in his last 15 consecutive rounds dating back to the final three tournaments of 2020-21. The senior, whose 62 on Saturday was one off the overall Eisenhower Blue Golf Course record, slipped with a 1-over on the front nine, but bounced back to score three birdies on his first seven holes, finishing the back at 2-under and 1-under for the day.
Hutchison was one of three Aggies in the top 10 as sophomore
Mark Stephens followed up his career-best collegiate round on Saturday with his best collegiate finish on Sunday, posting a career-low 8-under 208 to finish tied for fifth. Sophomore
Jacob Westberg ended his second event of the year in a tie for eighth, firing a final round 70 to finish with a 4-under 212.
Sunday's best round by an Aggie was turned in by Carper, who sank five birdies en route to a 4-under 68 in the final round, including finishing the front at 3-under, while sophomore
Alejandro Nava ended the tournament in a tie for 33rd with a 4-over 220.
Over on the Eisenhower Silver Course, freshman
Chad Cliff wrapped up his collegiate debut with a tie for 16th in the individual event thanks to a 7-over 223, with junior
Shane Muldowney finishing in a tie for 22nd one shot back with an 8-over 224.
The Aggies take a short break before heading to the Midwest on Sept. 27-28, participating in the Windon Memorial Classic hosted by Northwestern at the Lake Shore Golf Course in Glencoe, Ill.
GENE MIRANDA FALCON INVITATIONAL
Eisenhower Blue Golf Course (USAFA, Colo.)
Par 72 • 7,541 Yards
TEAM SCORES (FINAL)
1. UC DAVIS, 279-272-280—831 (-33)
2. Nevada, 290-280-285—855 (-9)
3. Denver, 286-282-288–856 (-8)
4. Weber State, 299-283-277—859 (-5)
5. Wyoming, 289-282-290—861 (-3)
6. San Jose State, 283-283-299—865 (+1)
7. Colorado, 297-281-288—866 (+2)
8. UTEP, 291-291-289—871 (+7)
9. Northern Colorado, 291-292-292—875 (+11)
10. UNLV, 294-291-292—877 (+13)
11. New Mexico State, 300-286-292—878 (+14)
12. CSUN, 298-293-290—881 (+17)
13. Utah Valley, 294-294-294—882 (+18)
14. Northern Iowa, 303-294-292—889 (+25)
15. SIUE, 304-294-293—891 (+27)
16. George Washington, 303-293-297—893 (+29)
17. Southern Illinois, 306-291-298—895 (+31)
18. Utah State, 307-292-299—898 (+34)
19. Army West Point, 309-297-297—903 (+39)
20. Air Force, 312-311-302—925 (+61)
21. Southern Utah, 318-308-310—936 (+72)
INDIVIDUAL SCORES (FINAL)
(Leaders plus UC Davis scores)
1.
Thomas Hutchison, UC Davis, 68-62-71–201 (-15)
t5.
Mark Stephens, UC Davis, 72-65-71–208 (-8)
t8.
Jacob Westberg, UC Davis, 69-73-70–212 (-4)
t18.
Lucas Carper, UC Davis, 70-77-68—215 (-1)
t33.
Alejandro Nava, UC Davis, 73-72-75—220 (+4)
GENE MIRANDA FALCON INVITATIONAL INDIVIDUAL TOURNAMENT
Eisenhower Silver Golf Course (USAFA, Colo.)
Par 72 • 6,510 Yards
INDIVIDUAL SCORES (FINAL)
(Leaders plus UC Davis scores)
1. Jack Hughes, Colorado, 74-65-70—209 (-7)
t16.
Chad Cliff, UC Davis, 73-78-72—223 (+7)
t22.
Shane Muldowney, UC Davis, 72-76-76—224 (+8)
ABOUT UC DAVIS
Centrally located between San Francisco and Lake Tahoe, over 700 student-athletes across 25 teams enjoy an unrivaled undergraduate experience at the fifth-ranked public school in the country.
Ranked annually in the nation's top 10 in diversity and students' social mobility, UC Davis and its innovative Aggie EVO System helps student-athletes develop passions, connect with a comprehensive network of alums and industry leaders, gain real-world experience and thrive as a young professional following a successful launch to full-time employment or graduate school.
