Both Frances and Gibson trailed Lamar's Hugo Hellman by a stroke heading into the final round, only to see the Cougar duo match cards with rounds of 70 while the Swede fell out of contention with a closing 74.
The European duo squared off in a playoff to determine who would win the first individual title of their collegiate careers. Starting on Laredo (Texas) Country Club's par-4 18th, the teammates traded pars before Frances sank a par putt on the 408-yard, par-4 10th hole to claim medalist honors. It marked his first amateur victory since the 2018 Danish National Stroke Play Championship.CONGRATS to Alexander Frances, your 2022 Border Olympics individual champion
— Houston Men's Golf ⛳ 🐾 (@UHCougarMGolf) February 15, 2022
Defeats teammate @andyg_gibson on second hole of playoff
Great work by both Cougars!#GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/mDodqowYBK
Houston senior Braxton Watkins joined Gibson and Frances among the top-10 leaders, tying for sixth at 216.
Houston's team victory didn't have nearly any of the drama of the race for the individual title, as the Cougars took a seven-stroke lead over Baylor and Sam Houston State into the final round. Neither team could cut into the Cougars lead and were passed by Louisiana Tech, which finished second at 3-over 867.
It marked Houston's first victory since November 2019 at the White Sand Invitational.
