After three straight tournaments at the bottom of the standings, the ISU men’s golf team is back in the swing of things.

The Cyclones finished fifth in a 15-team field this weekend at the Orange County National Xavier Invitational in Orlando, Fla.

The finish marks the first time this season the team has finished in the top 10 at any competition besides the intrastate Big Four Tournament in October. It was also the first time Iowa State has finished in the top five of a major tournament since April 2004, when the Cyclones captured the team title of the ASU Indian Classic.

Throughout three rounds, Iowa State recorded a team score of 866, including a 4-under-par 284 in the second round of the tournament. The Cyclones carded scores of 291 in the first and third rounds of the event.

Tournament champion Lamar University distanced itself from the rest of the field early in the competition, carding a 17-under-par 271 in the opening round en route to a 833-stroke final score, 19 shots ahead of second-place Xavier.

The Cyclones return to the greens March 13 to 14 at the Cleveland Golf/Palmetto Intercollegiate in Aiken, S.C.

Team scores

1. Lamar University 833 (271-279-283)

2. Xavier University 852 (288-285-279)

3. Eastern Michigan University 858 (290-282-286)

4. North Carolina-Greensboro 865 (295-283-287)

5. Iowa State 866 (291-284-291)

6. Virginia Commonwealth 867 (289-293-285)

7. Wichita State University 868 (293-287-288)

8. Indiana University 872 (291-285-296)

9. Ball State University 878 (294-295-289)

10. (tie) Texas-San Antonio 883 (290-300-293); U. of Wisconsin 883 (296-295-292); U. of Rhode Island 883 (294-299-290)

13. Marshall University 888 (295-295-298)

14. Penn State U. 894 (305-299-290)

15. Ohio University 907 (308-298-301)

ISU scores

T6. Joe Cermak 212 (72-70-70)

T29. Chris Baker 219 (73-71-75)

T43. John Larson 223 (77-70-76)

T43. Rodney Hamblin 223 (72-81-70)

T55. Curtis Foster 226 (74-73-79)