USC went wire-to-wire, but it was close throughout. Freshman Yuxin Lin of China shot a pair of 67s to pace the Trojans and take a five-shot lead into the final round. But Lin struggled in the final round, and gave an opening for the field to catch him.
It took a sterling effort from Parker Coody of Texas, who started the day seven shots behind Lin, to get there.
Coody then went on to birdie four of his last six holes, including on the final hole, to force a playoff with Lin. On the first playoff hole, Lin was bunkered, blasted over the green and made bogey, allowing Coody a par and the win.
The prize was an exemption in the PGA Tour's Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. Last year, UNLV's Jack Trent won at Southern Highlands and took full advantage of his exemption, finishing T29 at the Shriners.
Golfweek and College Golf Live livestreamed the final round action.
@parker_coody is your 2020 Southern Highlands Collegiate Champion!!! He earns an exemption into the PGA Tour's @shrinersopen pic.twitter.com/nVWkUDAWSu
— College Golf Live (@collegegolflive) March 4, 2020
Final hole. Parker Coody needs to get up and down for birdie to give himself a chance at playoff. He'll have 4 feet left to convert @texasmgolf pic.twitter.com/wdpvUhFUaQ
— College Golf Live (@collegegolflive) March 4, 2020
In the team competition, Texas finished second, two shots back, with Texas Tech a close third, another shot back. Florida was fourth, with No. 1 Pepperdine and UCLA tied for fifth.
UCLA's Devon Bling, a runner-up to Viktor Hovland in the 2018 U.S. Amateur, finished third individually at seven under, just one shot out of the Coody-Lin playoff.