Despite winning the team title, UC Riverside didn’t dominate the stat sheet. The Highlanders didn’t make the most birdies (Oregon State) or eagles (St. Thomas), and didn’t top the field in par-3, par-4, or par-5 scoring. What they did lead, however, was bogey avoidance — making just 47 bogeys over three rounds, the fewest of any team. Their 168 pars were one shy of the field lead. It was steady, mistake-free golf — and a blistering final round — that carried them to the title.

After opening the first two rounds at 69-71, St. Thomas’ Matt Armstrong took home individual honors after a final-round 66 — the lowest round of the tournament — lifted him to an 8-under total and a two-shot victory. Armstrong led the field in birdies (13), par-3 scoring, and par-4 scoring.

George Mason’s Vaughn McMeans was the only player to post three rounds under par (70-69-69) and finished solo second at 6 under. McMeans made just four bogeys all week and tied for the most pars (38) in the 100-player field.

UC Riverside’s top scorer, Hartej Grewal, finished solo third at 5 under with rounds of 69-71-69. Grewal’s 13 birdies tied Armstrong for most in the field. Seattle’s Kevin Li finished fourth at 4 under (69-72-69), and Idaho’s Samuel Johnson rounded out the top five at 1 under (73-69-71).

The top five finishers were the only players to end the week under par at the notably challenging Chambers Bay. After playing the first two rounds as a par 71, the tees on the 480-yard 4th hole were moved back to 535 yards for the final round and converted into a par 5, which became the easiest hole on the course Tuesday, yielding 48 birdies and just 8 bogeys.