San Diego State turned a weather-interrupted second day into a convincing victory at the William H. Tucker Intercollegiate, finishing at 31-under 833 to win by six shots at the UNM Championship Course in Albuquerque, NM.
The Aztecs posted rounds of 277-284-272, saving their best golf for the final round to pull clear of host New Mexico.
Team Results
San Diego State held a narrow advantage when rain suspended second-round play on Friday and finished the job Saturday with a 16-under 272.
New Mexico, which entered its home event after winning the Canadian Collegiate Invitational, finished runner-up at 25-under 839 following rounds of 275-286-278. BYU (278-286-279) was third at 21-under 843.
UNLV made the biggest final-round move among the leading teams, closing with a 19-under 269 to climb to fourth at 20-under 844. Santa Clara (280-277-289) completed the top five at 18-under 846.
Individual Results
New Mexico fourth-year Johnnie Clark shared medalist honors (Photo - NM State)
San Diego State freshman Brayden Forte and New Mexico fourth-year Johnnie Clark finished tied at the top at 13-under 203 before sharing the individual championship.
Forte, who won the Vuori Invitational in his previous start, opened with a 6-under 66 before adding rounds of 67 and 70. The result gave him individual titles in consecutive collegiate starts early in his freshman season.
Clark took a different route to the same total. The New Mexico standout posted rounds of 67-69-67, with his closing 67 erasing a three-shot deficit to Forte.
The pair played two playoff holes and matched each other with birdies on both. With travel commitments preventing a third extra hole, Forte and Clark were declared co-champions.
For Clark, it completed a remarkable start to the season. He has now won each of New Mexico's first three stroke-play events, following victories at the Pan Pacific University Golf Super League in Japan and the Canadian Collegiate Invitational. New Mexico says he is the first Lobo to win three consecutive individual titles and the first NCAA Division I men's player to open a season with three straight stroke-play victories since Oklahoma State's Matthew Wolff in 2018-19. Lobos Athletics
Santa Clara junior Emil Nielsen finished third at 11-under 205 after rounds of 66-64-75. Santa Clara University
New Mexico sophomore Thayer Plewe (67-67-72) and BYU sophomore Kihei Akina (67-70-69) shared fourth at 10-under 206 alongside San Diego State junior Harry Takis, who surged up the leaderboard with a closing 66 after rounds of 69 and 71