Men's Golf | 2/18/2025 8:44:00 PM

Utah Tech kicked off the 2025 spring season with a fourth place finish at the Eastern Kentucky-hosted Mesquite Desert Classic, which wrapped up play on Tuesday at the Casablanca Resort Golf Course in Mesquite, Nev.
 
The Trailblazers' fourth place showing was their second team top-five finish of the season. 
 
After positioning themselves in the top-three after an opening 4-under 284 on Sunday, the Trailblazers went even lower on Monday by firing their second-lowest team score of the season with a 7-under 281. 
 
All five Utah Tech players shot under par during their second loop, which moved the Blazers into solo third place and nine shots back of host EKU after 36 holes. However the Trailblazers closed with a combined 1-over 289 on Tuesday to slip a spot to fourth with a team total of minus-10 854.
 
Utah Valley (284-277-282-843; -21), which was five shots back of EKU heading into Tuesday, posted a final round 6-under 282 to leap past the Colonels (283-273-290-846; -18) to claim the team title, while Cal Poly (291-275-281-847; -17) shot a 7-under 281 to move by the Blazers and take third. 

All five Trailblazers finished in the top-30 on the player leaderboard, led by junior Maddox Vincent, who tied for fifth-over at minus-6 210.
 
Vincent got off to a great start with back-to-back 4-under 68s, which tied his career collegiate-low round and was good for third place heading into Tuesday. The junior, who penciled in 13 total birdies and one of three eagles Utah Tech recorded at the event, closed with a 2-over 74 on Tuesday on his way to his fourth career top-10.
 
Meanwhile, freshman Frank Miao enjoyed a solid collegiate debut with consecutive 1-under 71s after opening with an even-par 72 to finish in a five-way tie for 13^th at minus-2 214. Miao rolled in 10 total birdies over his three rounds, seven of which came during his first two collegiate under-par loops.
 
Junior Zach Felts wound up a shot back in t-18^th place at minus-1 215. Felts opened with back-to-back 71s, and recorded five of his 12 total birdies during Monday's second round. The junior then followed that up with a 73 on Tuesday in posting his first top-20 finish of the season.
 
Freshman Cole Taylor also made his collegiate debut at the EKU event and came away with a t-23^rd place finish at 1-over 217. Taylor bookended a pair of 73s with his first under-par round as a Trailblazers, a second round 71 that included his first collegiate eagle. He penciled in 11 total birdies over the three days, five of which came in Sunday's first round.
 
Sophomore Jackson Rhees led Utah Tech with 15 total birdies and an eagle, including seven birdies as part of a final round 72, which vaulted him 11 spots and into a seven-way tie for 29^th at plus-3 219. Rhees' eagle also came in the second round as part of a 71, which helped him rebound from an opening 4-over 76. 
 
Utah Tech returns to action at the Wyoming Desert Classic, which will be played next Monday-through-Wednesday at The Classic Club in Palm Springs, Calif.