EL DORADO – For the second time this season, the Southern Arkansas men's golf team bested the tournament field as the Muleriders, led by individual title winner Caleb Miller (149, +5) and senior classmate and tournament runner-up Connor Harrington (150, +6), claimed the Arkansas Collegiate team title at Mystic Creek with a 36-hole total of 607; 20 shots better than second place Northeastern State. SAU adds Tuesday's victory to its Tulsa Cup championship in late October.
Miller posted a 75 in round two to sit a single stroke up on Harrington and Delta State's Purin Yingpisit. He birdied two holes on the back nine including his final effort on No. 18. Miller shot +1 on par-3 scoring, +3 on par-4 scoring and +1 on par-5 scoring. His effort on par-4 holes was second to only Harrington's tournament-field best +2.
Harrington overcame a +7 result through his first five holes of the day to shoot one-under on the back nine and over his final 13 holes to move into a second place finish.
Logan McDonald matched Harrington's 78 in round two to finish in fifth place and Collin Spangler moved up five spots to tie for 12th with a 156. Wil Griffin II dropped a single stroke from Monday's effort to move up inside the top 40.
The Muleriders were 18 strokes better than the field on par-4 scoring and led the tournament with 109 made pars; the lone team to cross over the century mark in even efforts from the par-72, 7172-yard course. Harrington led the field with two dozen pars, while Miller, McDonald and Spangler all followed with 23 pars. SAU's A team recorded 15 birdies paced by Miller's five.
SAU's B team improved twenty strokes on Tuesday and bested Christian Brothers by four strokes.
Colby Light's six birdies, which included two in his first four holes on Tuesday, led all SAU players, while Will Blake's 18 pars were tops among SAU's B team. Blake and Seth Hopkins matched Miller's par-5 scoring effort at +1 and Light matched Harrington's at +2.
Hopkins improved four strokes, Light shaved two and Blake chipped away eight strokes from Monday's effort. Chase Garrett was six strokes better on Tuesday.
The Muleriders prepare for one final regular season tournament as the Natural State Golf Classic takes place on April 15-16 from Cypress Creek Golf Club in Cabot.