T-Birds Win Individual and Team Title in Playoff, Rees Ties Black for Most Wins in a Season
The No. 1 ranked New Mexico Junior College golf team won their fourth tournament of the season in dramatic fashion over the Eastern Florida State College Titans Tuesday, Jan. 31 at Suntree Country Club in Melbourne, Fla.
NMJC came into the final round trailing the host Titans by four shots. The T-Birds were behind by more than seven shots with three holes to play in the 54-hole event.
Sophomore Matthis Lefèvre carried the Thunderbirds in the final round on Tuesday with a bogey-free 6-under 66. Lefèvre birdied the par-5 18th hole to post an individual score of 211 (-5), which sent him to a playoff for medalist honors with Webber International's Vedant Sirohi.
Freshman Travis Robbie followed Lefèvre on the par-5 18th, unknowingly needing a par to force a playoff with Eastern Florida State. Robbie went for the green in two but came up short in the water. The Australian produced a clutch pitch to get up and down for par, coming in with a 3-over 75.
Freshman Will Green posted a 5-over 77 and sophomore Tim Chan came through with a 6-over 78 on the final day. The team shot 296 (+8) in final round and 881 (+17) for the tournament to tie Eastern Florida State and force a playoff at the Titan Winter Classic.
The playoff was conducted on the par-5 10th hole. Lefèvre started the playoff with a hook into the 18th fairway but recovered with an incredible shot over the trees to set up a 20-foot putt for eagle.
Robbie drove the ball into the left rough behind a tree and hit a lay-up 50 yards short of the hole. Green knocked his drive down the fairway and stuffed an iron in the center of the green to set up a 30-foot putt for eagle, which he drained.
Lefèvre two-putted for birdie and Robbie was able to chip from off the green to kick-in range for the second birdie of the first group.
Spring newcomer Oskar Blomdahl and Tim Chan were in the second playoff group for the T-Birds. Chan blasted his drive down the left side of the rough to set up a manageable approach to the green.
Chan's second shot was a dart 15 feet away from the flag. A two-putt birdie by the Hong Kong native put the Thunderbirds 5-under par for the playoff hole, securing a 5-shot victory over the Titans in the sudden death playoff.
Following the team playoff was the individual playoff with Lefèvre and Sirohi. The two were tasked with playing the par-5 18th hole. Lefèvre and Sirohi both made par with little fanfare on the first playoff hole.
The two trekked back to 18th hole tee box to play once more. This time Lefèvre went for the green in two from behind a tree and out of the rough. The ball found its way in the water, but the Frenchman made a miraculous up and down for par to force a third playoff hole.
The duo went back up to 18 to play for a third time. Luckily, third time is the charm as Lefèvre made quick work of the hole by flushing his second shot to 15 feet for eagle. The two-putt birdie earned him medalist honors for the seventh time in his Thunderbird career.
The T-Birds shot a three-round total of even-par 288, 9-over par 297, and 8-over par 296 to shoot a 17-over par 881 for the tournament.
Matthis Lefèvre finished in first place shooting 211 (-5) for the tournament. Travis Robbie tied for seventh at 219 (+3). Will Green came in a tie for 15th place posting a 9-over par 225.
Oskar Blomdahl finished in a tie for 22nd place in his first match as T-Bird with a score of 227 (+11). Tim Chan was 18-over par shooting a three-day total of 234. Individual Diego Prat-Cruza went 74-76-80 to shoot a three-round total of 230 (+14).
Head coach Jay Rees said that the victory on Tuesday was "a fantastic week for the team filled with many highlights."
"We played probably our very best in the "team playoff" with our top four guys 5-under par for our counting scores in the playoff and EFSC only shooting even par."
"Matthis won his eighth tournament (including NM Open) since arriving at NMJC," Rees said. "I'm so proud of the consistency and great golf that he has played. Matthis is special talent and I think as the season progresses; he will keep proving why he is one of the best players in college golf."
The fourth win of the season ties Rees with NJCAA Hall of Famer James Black for most wins in a single season at NMJC.
Round 1 Recap
The T-Birds started the tournament hot, finishing the first round with a seven-shot lead over the tournament host Eastern Florida State. Freshman Travis Robbie led the T-Birds in the first round shooting a 3-under 69, enough for the low round of the day.
Sophomore Matthis Lefèvre shot an even-par round of 72 in his first 18 holes. Freshman Oskar Blomdahl posted a 1-over par round of 73. Rounding out was the quartet was Will Green, who finished with a 2-over par 74. The team shot 288 (E) in round one.
Round 2
Round two was a struggle for the T-Birds. The team finished with no rounds under par shooting a team score of 297. Lefèvre could not get anything going shooting a 1-over par 73.
Robbie, who led individually after round one, was unable to recreate the magic seen in the first round shooting a 3-over 75. Green was steady posting another 2-over 74. Blomdahl struggled with his short game in round two on his way to a 3-over 75. The Thunderbirds shot 297 in round two as a team.
Eastern Florida was at the peak of their game in round two with three players under par. The Titans shot the low round of the tournament with a 2-under par 286 to lead by four strokes headed into the final day.
NMJC golf with play their next match Feb. 13-14 in El Paso, Texas at the Cactus Thaw tournament.
