Men's Golf 10/17/2023 4:08:00 PM Chris Brannick

Central Oklahoma Finishes Second At Regional Preview

Bronchos Get Runner-Up Finish From Nick Canales, Leading Team To Same Position In Team Standings

EDMOND – Central Oklahoma finished second at the NCAA Regional Preview Tuesday at KickingBird Golf Club.

SEE COMPLETE RESULTS HERE

The Bronchos posted a 54-hole score of 5-over-par 845 (282-277-286). Arkansas Tech won the team title with an 842. Rogers State, Henderson State, and Missouri Southern rounded out the top five teams.

Nick Canales also finished runner up in the individual standings. The redshirt freshman posted a 54-hole 200 (66-66-68). He was one shot back of Harding's Sam Tandy (199) for the individual title.

Evan Griffith (214), Ross Taylor (215), and Baylor Bostick (216) rounded out UCO's counting scores. Dylan Henderson (226) also competed for the Bronchos.

It was the final tournament of the fall season for the Bronchos, who had three runner-up finishes and a pair of third-place showings.

"It was close all the way and we had our chances, but just came up a little short," head coach Derrick Thompson said. "Nick played great all three rounds and Evan came through with a big round today.

"We had a really good fall season and I'm proud of our guys for putting us in position to win every week. We made a lot of progress and I'm looking forward to seeing what we can do in the spring."

Southern Nazarene hosted the event, and will host the 2024 NCAA Division II Central Region Championship in May at KickingBird.

This week, Canales nearly replicated the dominant performance that earned him a pair of school records earlier this fall. The La Porte, Texas native already shot a 198 through 54 holes last month, setting a new school record. His 200 this week is now the second-best mark in school history.

Canales sank six birdies on Monday in the first round and three more, plus an eagle, in the second round. Tuesday, he fired six more birdies. Canales had three in a five-hole stretch on the front nine and played that 2-under par. He had three more on the back nine in a six-hole stretch. Canales double-bogeyed the par-3 16th before finishing with back-to-back pars to round out the day at 2-under.

Griffith opened the tournament with a 5-over 75 on Monday but answered back with a 1-under 69 in the second round. The senior from Arkansas had 14 pars on Tuesday and finished the day even.

Taylor had posted an even-par 70 and a 1-over 71 in the first two rounds. He shot a 4-over 74 Tuesday two wrap up the tournament. He recorded a quadruple bogey on No. 18 in what was the only blemish on his final round scorecard.

Bostick nearly had the same scores, shooting 71-71-74. He had a triple earlier Tuesday but recovered with three birdies on the back nine.

Henderson, playing the No. 1 bag for the Bronchos, posted an 8-over 78 and 4-over 74 in the first two rounds. He finished with another 4-over 74 on Tuesday to close out the tournament.

Central Oklahoma completed its fall schedule with the Regional Preview. The Bronchos finished second, third, third, second, and second in five tournaments over the past six weeks.

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Players Mentioned

Evan Griffith: Senior

Dylan Henderson: Junior

Ross Taylor: Senior

Baylor Bostick: 6' 4"; Freshman

Nick Canales: 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman

Players Mentioned

Evan Griffith
: Senior

Dylan Henderson
: Junior

Ross Taylor
: Senior

Baylor Bostick
: 6' 4"; Freshman

Nick Canales
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman