Men's Golf | 2/13/2022 5:09:00 PM

Dixie State opened the 2022 spring season with a fifth-place finish at the Southern Utah Pizza Hut/Pat Hicks Invitational played this weekend at Sunbrook Golf Course.

The Trailblazers' fifth-place showing was the program's sixth at the SUU event in 11 total appearances, and tied for the best overall team finish in DSU's new NCAA Division I era (5^th at UCSB Intercollegiate; 4/12-13/21).

DSU entered Sunday's final round in third place after tying for the second-lowest round on Saturday with a 10-under 278. However the Blazers (288-278-295) combined to card a 7-over 295 on their final loop to fall two spots to fifth.
 
Middle Tennesee State (276-274-276) led wire-to-wire to run away with the team title with a three-round total of minus-38 826, 22 shots clear of runner-up Oral Roberts (284-278-286-848; -16). Southern Illinois (284-285-284-853; -11) wound up in third, followed by Sacramento State (283-285-288-856; -8) in fourth, five shots better than DSU.
 
Two Trailblazers closed the tourney in the top-20 on the player leaderboard, led by senior Brock Nielson (73-66-72) in t-ninth at minus-5 211. Nielson followed an opening 73 with a bogey free 6-under 66 in round two in a loop that featured four birdies and an eagle. The senior then fired an even par 72 on Sunday in an up-and-down round that saw him pencil in seven birdies. 
 
Meanwhile, sophomore Josh Pehrson (72-69-72) finished in solo 14^th at minus-3 213. Pehrson co-led the 92-player field with three eagles, including two during Saturday's 3-under 69 loop, while he carded one more on Sunday.

Junior Davis Heslington (71-70-77) finished in a pack of six players tied for 29^th at plus-2 218, followed by sophomore Camron Saunders (72-73-74) a shot back in t-35^th at plus-3 219, and junior Triston Gardner (78-74-79) tied for 71^st at plus-15 231. 

Three other Trailblazers played as individuals in the event, with senior Spencer Wallace (78-78-69) tying for 55^th at plus-9 225, which included a final round 3-under 69, while sophomore Aman Uddin (73-80-73-226; +10) and freshman Taft Lewis (76-74-78-228; +12) wound up in t-57^th and t-63^rd, respectively.  

Dixie State returns to action this upcoming Feb. 21-22, at the California Baptist Lancer Joust, which will be played at the Goose Creek Golf Club in Jurupa Valley, Calif.