Feb. 8, 2008

LUBBOCK, Texas - Following the tournament's third-best round Thursday, junior Garrett Merrell closed the event with a 68 Friday and finished among the top 10 at the Hawaii-Hilo Intercollegiate at Waikoloa Village Golf Club. The No. 16 Red Raiders, tied for the lead following the first round, finished fifth.

Merrell blistered the course Thursday with a 64 to improve 25 places and move within four shots of the lead. He finished with a 7-under 203 (71-64-68). Mid-year transfer Chris Ward's first event as a Red Raider was solid as he tied in 13th place with a 4-under 206 (66-70-70). Will Griffin (68-72-72) and Santiago Rivas (66-69-77) tied in 39th place with a pair of 2-over 212s. Rivas, among the contenders following the second round, struggled in the final round with a 77. Freshman Sergio Franky carded an 8-over 218 (73-72-73) and finished tied in 73rd place.

Arizona State's Jesper Kennegard took home medalist honors, shooting a 13-under 197, two strokes ahead of Stanford's Rob Grube in second place.

No. 10 Stanford (813, -27) won the event, while Arizona State and No. 8 USC (816, -24) tied in second place. Fourth-ranked Georgia Tech (824, -16) and Texas Tech (829, -11) close out the top five. Oregon State (832, -8), Washington (832, -8), Oregon (835, -5), TCU (839, -1) and UC Davis (844, +1) complete the top 10.

Colorado (845, +5), Santa Clara (846, +6), Oklahoma (848, +8), Kansas (858, +18), CSU Bakersfield (858, +18), Hawaii-Hilo (861, +21), Pacific (866, +26) and Hawaii (868, +28) round out the field of 18.

Complete results can be found at www.golfstat.com or www.texastech.com.