TULSA, Okla. — A strong final round propelled Harding to a third-place tie at the NSU Golf Classic, as the Bisons moved up five spots from their overnight position. The team's 2-over 286 on Tuesday secured a spot among the top finishers in the 20-team field at the Page Belcher Golf Course.
Harding finished the tournament at 7-under 845, which is the seventh-best 54-hole score in program history. The impressive performance came despite an average round score of 73.28 on a sunny, 95-degree day, a full stroke higher than the first two rounds. Harding tied with Arkansas Tech and Pittsburg State.
Junior Dennis Staykov led the charge for Harding, shooting a team-best 1-under 70 in the final round. Staykov's stellar performance, which included three birdies and two bogeys, secured him a fifth-place individual finish. His 8-under 205 tied his personal best 54-hole total and is tied for the sixth-best three-round tournament score in program history. This marks his first top-5 finish of the season and third of his career.
Senior Jose Manuel Peralta contributed an even-par 71, highlighted by an eagle on the par-5, 511-yard ninth hole. Peralta's eagle was the third for the Bisons in the tournament, with Staykov having eagles on the first hole in both of the first two rounds. Peralta also birdied three holes on the back nine, finishing tied for 31st with a 1-over 214.
Sophomore Austin Bibb, playing his best round of the tournament, finished with a 1-over 72 after a bogey-free back nine, tying for 77th at 8-over 221. Junior Jose Arzu was Harding's final scoring player with a 2-over 73, tying for 21st with a 1-under 212. Junior Conner Geist shot 3-over 74 and finished 82nd at 9-over 222. Freshman Trent Harley, playing as an individual, shot a 3-over 74 and tied for 70th with a 7-over 220.
Central Oklahoma shot 6-under in the final round to win the tournament with a 24-under 828, beating Central Missouri by seven strokes. Sam Sewell of Arkansas-Fort Smith claimed the individual medalist title with an 11-under 202, one stroke better than Central Missouri's CJ Phillips.
The Bisons will return to action on Sept. 29-30 at the Battle of the Belt, hosted by Henderson State at the Hot Springs Country Club in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
