The Iowa State men’s golf team displayed a strong performance at the Inaugural Big 12 tournament in Hutchinson, Kan. on April 27-29 with a third place finish.

The Cyclones were trailing top-ranked Oklahoma State by just one stroke following the first two rounds, but found themselves off to a slow start and finished 19 strokes behind the champion Cowboys.

“We looked the power in the eyes,” Head Coach Dale Anderson said.

Slipping past the Cyclones on the final round were the Longhorns from the University of Texas.

Anderson said the conditions on the final day were not easy.

“Conditions on Tuesday were very difficult,” Anderson said. He explained that when the pins are in the championship, or hardest, placement in addition to the inclement weather, the individual and team scores climb.

Leading the Cyclones on the course was senior Donnie Teeter. Teeter finished in a tie for sixth place with rounds of 71-72-75 (218).

“Donnie Teeter had a great tournament,” Anderson said. “He made the all-tournament team.”

Junior Jason Knutzon and Senior Travis Korver each finished in a tie for 16th overall with a 228-stroke card after three rounds.

Junior Jon Levy found himself in a tie for 22nd overall, finishing one stroke behind his Cyclone teammates.

Rounding out the Cyclone squad was freshman Aaron Patton. Patton shot rounds of 85-83-80 (248) to complete the Cyclone squad.

Claiming the individual medalist prize was Cowboy golfer Leif Westerberg with a final card of 211 strokes to help the Cowboys claim both top spots.

Longhorn golfer Brad Elder finished in second place with his 213-stroke total. Anderson was pleased with the team’s performance.

“I am real proud of my team. We got a chance to play with the number one team in the nation,” he said.

“We would have liked to have won it, but we were really close.”

Despite the third place finish. Anderson said he was able to disprove the myth that golf teams from northern schools had a disadvantage.

“We were the highest placed northern school by far,” he said.

Among other schools in the northern division of the Big 12 conference, Kansas finished in fourth place, one stroke behind the Cyclones. Oklahoma found its way to fifth, with a final card of 904.

Nebraska finished in sixth place after being in third before the final 18 holes.

Cornhusker golfer Josh Madden finished in third place overall to lead the Cornhuskers in the individual standings.

The Cornhuskers completed the tournament with a final card of 908 strokes.

While this may be the last season for the head coach, the season hasn’t finished quite yet for the Cyclones.

Anderson said one of the preseason goals for the team was to make the NCAA national championship tournament.

The goal continues to survive as the team has gained a berth for the NCAA regional tournament to be held May 15-17 in Oklahoma City, Okla. It will be the team’s sixth berth in eight years, however the team never advanced beyond the regionals in previous years.

“We are in the national championships for sure,” Anderson said.