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Wyoming Cowboy Classic – Final Results (PDF)
Wyoming Cowboy Classic – Final Results (HTML)
Maricopa, Ariz. – Three Catamounts finished in a tie for 64th overall as the second full day of play concluded at Wyoming’s Cowboy Classic, contested at the par-72, 7,338-yard AK-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Course. Senior Ivan Ninkovic, junior Jace Butcher, and redshirt sophomore Tyler Jones each finished with matching scores of 4-over par 220 on Wednesday, guiding the Catamounts to a 16th-place finish among the stacked 25-team field.
Ninkovic was WCU’s biggest gainer over the final 18 holes, rallying 17 spots into the eight-way tie for 64th. The Pula, Croatia, product matched his opening-round of even-par 72 over the final 18 holes, overcoming three bogeys and a double-bogey with a trio of birdies and an eagle on the 548-yard, par-5 third.
Jones slipped 10 spots over the final round despite sitting at 3-under par through the final 12 holes of the third round. The Jacksonville, N.C., native eagled the par-4, 312-yard 14th and carded a birdie two holes later. However, three double-bogeys over his final six holes relegated him to 3-over par, 75.
Butcher backed his opening-round 2-under par 70 with an even-par 72 in the second round that was interrupted by darkness on Tuesday. However, he stumbled over the final 18 holes with a 6-over par, 78, carding three birdies against seven bogeys and a double-bogey.
Rounding out WCU’s scoring five were junior Andrew Korytoski in a tie for 81st with a three-round total of 223, and Connor Williams in a tie for 118th overall at 232. Korytoski added a pair of birdies over the final 18 to give him eight for the event, while Williams posted his fourth birdie on Wednesday.
Butcher carded a team-best 12 birdies, with Ninkovic recording 10. Jones finished with a team-best 34 pars, one more than Ninkovic and freshman Connor Williams. Jones and Ninkovic were among 18 individuals in the field to card an eagle over the tournament’s 54 holes.
No. 28 Southern California claimed a stroke victory over No. 46 Arkansas State, with the Trojans shooting 838 and the Red Wolves coming home with an 839. Grand Canyon (841) was three strokes off the pace in third, followed by No. 49 UNLV (845) and hard-charging Wichita State (847), climbing five spots in the final order over the final 18 holes.
Ranked No. 63 in the nation, Thomas Schmidt of Arkansas State earned individual medalist honors by two strokes over Bryson Barnes of CSU Northridge, 203 to 205. Southern Cal teammates Luke Stock and Jack Buchanan finished tied for third with matching scores of 206, three strokes in arrears of the leader.
Western Carolina returns to action in the penultimate event of the 2025-26 season on April 12-14, at the Wofford Invitational. The three-round event is scheduled for the Country Club of Spartanburg. The Catamounts return to the event for the first time since 2024, collecting a seventh-place team finish.
Keep track of everything related to Catamount men’s golf and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), Instagram (@wcu_catamounts), and X (@catamounts, @CatamountMGolf).
16 – Western Carolina – 283 – 295 – 301 = 879 (+15)
T64 – Jace Butcher – 70-72-78 = 220 (+4)
T64 – Ivan Ninkovic – 72-76-72 = 220 (+4)
T64 – Tyler Jones – 67-78-75 = 220 (+4)
T81 – Andrew Korytoski – 74-73-76 = 223 (+7)
T118 – Connor Williams – 77-74-81= 232 (+16)