Cougars Make Late Charge, Finish Second at Oregon State Invitational

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Trailing by 13 strokes entering the final round, Washington State made a late charge, cutting the lead to four at one point, but ran out of holes to finish six strokes off the pace and in second place Tuesday at the 2023 Oregon State Invitational, played at the par 71, 7,384-yard Trysting Tree Golf Club.
 
Battling windy, rainy conditions throughout the day, the Cougars shot Tuesday’s low round with a 2-over, 286, seven strokes better than anyone in the field. WSU took advantage of the par 5 holes, going nine-under on the round and finished the 54-hole event leading the field with a 4.62 stroke average on those holes. The Cougars, who ended the tournament at 9-over, 861, saw their late charge come up just short against host Oregon State, which held on to win the vent at 3-over, 855. Arkansas State, which entered the day five strokes in front of WSU, finished third, 7 shots out of second place.
 
Senior Preston Bebich led WSU on Tuesday, firing a 1-under 70, one of only three players to break par on the day. Bebich recorded four birdies in his round as he finished his 54 holes tied for ninth at 2-over, 215. Bebich was steady throughout his 54 holes, finishing the event by leading the field in pars with 43.
 
Sophomore Sam Renner posted a 4-over, 75 Tuesday, his first round over par at the tournament. He finished the two-day event at 1-over, 214, and in a tie for sixth overall. It also marked the third time in four events Renner has posted WSU’s low overall score this season. Senior Drayton Joseph concluded one of his best events as a Cougar with a 1-over, 72, giving his a three-round total of 4-over, 217, tied for 14th. Joseph’s previous best finish as a Coug was T-13th at last year’s National Golf Invitational.
 
Fifth-year senior Pono Yanagi completed his final 18 holes in 2-over, 73, a round that featured three birdies. Yanagi finished his two days at 6-over, 219, tied for 19th. Senior Jaden Cantafio recorded WSU’s second-best round on the day, firing an even-par 71. With three birdies on the day, Cantafio finished tied for 32nd overall at 9-over, 222
 
WSU had two players competing as individuals at Trysting Tree, as redshirt freshman Ben Borgida ended his round with a 5-over 76, giving him a…