Men's golf captures AAC title

Tuesday, April 23

Palm Harbor, Fla.

8:00 am

University of Memphis

American Athletic Conference Championships

Tigers won the American Athletic Conference Championship Tuesday by 12 strokes over SMU.

Photo by: American Athletic Conference

Apr 23, 2019 | Men's Golf

AAC Championship Team Leaderboard AAC Championship Player Leaderboard

Tigers earn NCAA berth after 12-stroke win over SMU for first league championship since 2012

PALM HARBOR, Fla. – The University of Memphis captured the American Athletic Conference Men's Golf Championship Tuesday, earning the program its first league title since 2012 and its first trip to the NCAA tournament since 2016.

Behind steady play from seniors Bradley Bawden and Chase Harris, and a strong contribution from sophomore Guillaume Chevalier, the Tigers rewarded fifth-year coach Blake Smart with a convincing tournament championship victory and an NCAA berth.

Memphis shot even-par 284 Tuesday for a three-day winning total of 852, also even-par. The Tigers finished 12 strokes ahead of runner-up SMU, 13 strokes ahead of UCF and 18 strokes better than four-time defending champ USF.

The Tigers entered the final day with a six-stroke advantage over SMU and maintained a comfortable lead throughout the final round.

"Wow! The boys played great golf for three days," Smart said. "More importantly, they believed in the process and how we play our best golf. It was an ultimate team win and I couldn't be more excited for the fellas."

Bawden and Harris paced the Tigers in the final round as each fired 2-under 69s. Bawden finished third overall at 5-under 208. Harris tied for fifth at 1-under 212. Chevalier and Isaiah Jackson each shot 217 after closing with 73s.

The 2019 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championships selections announcement will take place on Wednesday, May 1 at 8 p.m., on Golf Channel's Golf Central and streamed live on the Golf Channel website.

Competition will begin at six regional sites May 12-15.

NCAA team and individual medalist titles will be decided May 24-29 at Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville, Ark.

Memphis won a conference title for the fifth time in school history, following championships in 1976 (Metro Conference), 1988 (Metro Conference), 1992 (Great Midwest Conference) and 2012 (Conference USA). It was the program's first title as a member of the American Athletic Conference, which launched during the 2013-14 season.

American Athletic Conference Championship

Champion: Memphis
Score: Even-par, 852
Runner-up: SMU (+12, 864)
Where: Innisbrook Resort: Copperhead Course, Palm Harbor, Fla.
Par: 71
Yardage: 7,125 yards
Individual champion: McClure Meissner, SMU (66-66-68 for 200)
Memphis scores: Bradley Bawden (70-69-69 for 208); Chase Harris (72-71-69 for 212); Isaiah Jackson (74-70-73 for 217); Guillaume Chevalier (72-72-73 for 217). Borja Martin (72-73-76 for 221).