Utah State's Higham finishes tied for 7th at Pat Hicks Thunderbird Invitational

CEDAR CITY — Utah State University's Tanner Higham finished tied for seventh place with a 1-under par 143 at the Southern Utah University-hosted Pat Hicks Thunderbird Invitational held in Cedar City at the Sunbrook Golf Club on Monday and Tuesday.

Utah State finished in ninth place in the 14-team field with a 27-over 603 (298-305). Cal State Fullerton won the team championship with a 1-under 575 (288-287), while Cal State Northridge's Chris Russon took medalist honors with a 4-under 140 (70-70).

Higham, a sophomore from Shelley, Idaho, began the tournament with a 2-under 70 on Monday before carding a 1-over 73 on Tuesday during his final 18 holes in what is his second-best collegiate finish.

Freshman Tanner Jenson (Parker, Colo.) tied for 27th with a 5-over 149 (72-77) for Utah State, while senior Chanse Godderidge (Smithfield) tied for 59th with an 11-over 155 (77-78). Senior Austin French (Idaho Falls) tied for 66th with a 12-over 156 (79-77), and junior Brendan Dennis (Roosevelt) tied for 85th at 20-over 164 (84-80).

Utah State also had two individuals competing in the tournament; freshman Andrew Paulson (Sandy) tied for 45th with a 9-over 153 (75-78) and freshman Brennan Coburn (Layton) tied for 59th at 11-over 155 (73-82).

Utah State will return to action on Feb. 27 when it travels to Chandler, Ariz., to compete in the Washington State University-hosted Snowman Getaway.

TEAM RESULTS

1. Cal State Fullerton - 288-287 --- 575 (-1) 2. Southern Utah - 284-293 --- 577 (+1) 3. College of Charleston - 292-291 --- 583 (+7) 3. Cal Poly - 290-293 --- 583 (+7) 5. Cal State Northridge - 291-288 --- 585 (+9) 9. UTAH STATE - 298-305 --- 603 (+27)

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

1. Chris Russo, Cal State Northridge - 70-70 --- 140 (-4) 2. Scott Patterson, Cal Poly - 70-71 --- 141 (-3) 2. Mark Anguiano, Cal State Fullerton - 70-71 --- 141 (-3) 4. Jeff Evans, Southern Utah - 71-71 --- 142 (-2) 4. Jason Rosenkranz, Cal State Northridge - 73-69 --- 142 (-2) 4. Shannon Allen, Oral Roberts - 73-69 --- 142 (-2)

UTAH STATE INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

T7. Tanner Higham - 70-73 --- 143 (-1) T27. Tanner Jenson - 72-77 --- 149 (+5) T59. Chanse Godderidge - 77-78 --- 155 (+11) T66. Austin French - 79-77 --- 156 (+12) T85. Brendan Dennis - 84-80 --- 164 (+20) T45. Andrew Paulson - 75-78 --- 153 (+9) T59. Brennan Coburn - 73-82 --- 155 (+11)

Doug Hoffman is the assistant athletic director for Utah State University Athletic Media Relations.