Sept. 14, 2008

LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech carded a 2-over 286 in the final round of the Carpet Capital Collegiate, the squad's lowest round of the tournament, to finish in an eighth-place tie in one of the country's strongest fields Sunday. The tournament was the first of the season for the 17th-ranked Red Raiders, who entered the final round in 12th place.

Garrett Merrell and Santiago Rivas tied in 13th place to lead the Red Raiders, while Riva's climb from 31st the previous day was the surge on the final day to help push Tech to its top ten finish. Rivas posted a final-round 2-under par 70, while Merrell followed Saturday's 70 with a 73 today. Redshirt freshman Brian Scherer, playing in his first collegiate tournament, recovered from an opening-round 78 with a pair of 72s in the final two rounds to finish tied 40th. Chris Ward fired an even-par 72 Sunday to finish tied in 49th place, while Will Griffin, who finished sixth in the event a year ago, tied in 62nd place after shooting even par Sunday.

Tennessee-Chattanooga (864) won the event by five strokes over second-place Tennessee (869). South Carolina (870), Clemson (872) and Florida (873) finished third through fifth, followed by Alabama (875), Georgia (876), Tech (877), Mississippi (877) and Wake Forest (879). Georgia Tech was 11th, while first-day leader East Tennessee State (883) fell from second to a 12th-place tie in the final round. Auburn (883), Central Florida (889), Mississippi State (890), Georgia State (890) and North Carolina (900) rounded out the field.

The Red Raiders should improve on their No. 17 national ranking after finishing ahead of No. 10 Georgia Tech, No. 14 East Tennessee State and No. 15 Wake Forest. The new Golfweek poll will be announced Tuesday.

Texas Tech is next in action at the Shoal Creek Invitational in Birmingham, Ala., Sept. 22-23, where the team will look to defend its title from a year ago.