LAS VEGAS – Kansas Wesleyan Men’s Golf opened the spring portion of its season on Monday and Tuesday with a fifth place finish in the Las Vegas Shootout at Boulder Creek Golf Club.

The Coyotes posted a score of 875 for the tournament, finishing five shots ahead of Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) in the standings, and just nine shots behind Oklahoma City in the 16-team field at the event.

The Coyotes shot a 292 in the first round, and a 291 in the second, before another 292 in the third round.

Freshman Jackson Malone (FR/Frisco, Texas) was the top finisher for the Coyotes, finishing 11th in the 87-player field, shooting a 4-under par 212 (70-72-70) in the tournament. Trevor Watson (JR/Coffeyville, Kan.) finished 24th with a 219 (73-72-74), Landon Berquist (JR/Lawrence, Kan.) tied for 31st with a 222 (77-72-73), Tyler Tarvin (SO/North Richland Hills, Texas) tied for 38th with a 225 (72-78-75) and Ethan Vikander (JR/Aberdeen, S.D.) tied for 53rd with a 230 (77-75-78).

Colby Watkins from Ottawa Arizona was the tournament winner with a 10-under par 206, winning by one shot over teammate Beng Keat Lim. OUAZ ran away with the team title, shooting a 33-under par 831, to win the tournament by 17 shots, over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, who was ranked No. 6 in NCAA Division III.

The Coyotes have exactly a month off before hitting the links again, at the Oakwood Intercollegiate in Enid, Oklahoma, March 20 and 21.