Fourth NJCAA DI title for McLennan (TX)
(Photo Courtesy of NJCAA)

MELBOURNE, FL (May 21, 2016) - After shooting a collective 8-under par on the final day, McLennan (Texas) ended a six-year championship drought Friday as it seized the NJCAA Division I men’s golf title at Duran Golf Course.

With a four-day total score of 1,128, the Highlanders finished 24-under par and eight strokes better than second-place Western Texas.

Leading the way for McLennan was Ryan Scott Johnson who finished seventh overall in the individual standings as he penciled a 7-under par for the week. Johnson’s best round was on day two when he shot 67 on the par 72 course. The best round of the week for the Highlanders, however, went to Ryan Brown who tallied a 65 in the third round play.

McLennan started the week in fourth place as it registered a 290 following first round action. With an impressive second round score of 277, the Highlanders overtook the top spot where they continued to thrive with third and fourth round totals of 281 and 280, respectively.

Despite starting the final day four spots back, Kerry Sweeney of Eastern Florida State surged to the top of the leaderboard after shooting a 65 to be crowned the individual champion. Sweeney wrapped up the week with an overall score of 275, good for 13-under par. Augustin Hole of Odessa (Texas) followed with a four- day total of 278, while there was a three-way tie for third.

On the team leaderboard, Midland (Texas) placed third with Indian Hills (Iowa) and Eastern Florida State sharing fourth.

This is McLennan’s fourth men’s golf championship with previous celebrations taking place in 1984, 2009 and 2010.