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New Mexico Junior College Thunderbirds
Travis Robbie Places Second in Huntsville, Matthis Lefèvre Earns WJCAC POY
April 25, 2023

Travis Robbie Places Second in Huntsville, Matthis Lefèvre Earns WJCAC POY

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The T-Bird golf team finished in third place behind Midland and Odessa College at the Southwest Championship in Brownwood, Texas. The Thunderbirds shot a 54-hole total of 855 (+3) to fall by 17 strokes to the Chaps (-14). The Wranglers were runner-up's by six shots at 8-under.

Travis Robbie was the top performer for the T-Birds in Huntsville, Texas at the par-71 Bearkat Course. The freshman shot 8-under for a three-round total of 205 (67-69-69). Robbie had a chance to tie the lead on the final hole but a 360 lip out from three feet negated the opportunity for a playoff.

Matthis Lefèvre had a solid tournament for the Thunderbirds coming in ninth place in the 54-hole event. Lefèvre started Day 1 with a 3-under 68 and followed the first round with a second round 1-over par 72. The final round was a battle for the Frenchman as he posted a 2-over 73 to shoot an even par three-round total of 213. 

Tim Chan finished in a tie for 25th place at 5-over par. The Hong Kong native finished with a three-round total of 218 (75-70-73).

Individual Jono Boediman has played excellent golf over the past three weeks. The freshman finished alongside his teammate Chan at 5-over par with a two-day total of 218 (74-72-72).

Will Green got off to a rough start in the opening round with an 80 to start his tournament. The Englishman reeled it back in with two respectable rounds of 71-73 to finish in a tie for 40th place with an 11-over par three-round total of 224. 

Oskar Blomdahl also finished in a tie for 40th place after shooting an 11-over par two-day total of 224 (78-73-73).

Individual Carson Hackmann got off to a great start on Day 1 going 75-70. The sophomore faltered with a final-round 83 to shoot a 15-over three-round total of 228 to finish in a tie for 55th. 

Diego Prat-Cruza shot a 17-over three-round total of 230 (75-76-79) to finish in a tie for 61st.

The Thunderbirds finished the NJCAA Southwest Region National Qualifier in second place with a six-round total of 1714. Midland College finished atop the standings for the national qualifier 23-strokes ahead of the T-Birds at a six-round total of 1691. 

The WJCAC Championship is a three stage event played on three separate courses over nine rounds to decide a team and individual champion. Midland College won the WJCAC Championship with a nine-round total of 2517. 

The T-Birds finished in second place with a nine-round total of 2544. Lefèvre won the three-stage WJCAC Championship as an individual by two strokes over Odessa's Laurenz Kubin with a 15-under par nine-round total of 626.

Lefèvre earned WJCAC Player of the Year honors with the first-place finish at the three-stage event.

"I'm very proud Individually of Matthis, what he has accomplished is second to none," NMJC golf head coach Jay Rees said. "He is the greatest golfer to come out of NMJC. Matthis will try to finish off an incredible career by going for magic number "10" at the NJCAA National Championship. I will always support and help Matthis as he moves to the DI level and pursues his dreams of playing professionally."

Tim Chan and Will Green were named to the WJCAC All-Conference Team for their performance in the three-stage event. Chan finished in eighth place with a 7-over par 162-hole total of 648 and Green finished in 10th place with a 12-over 162-hole total of 653. Travis Robbie would've finished in third place at 11-under had it not been for last week's final round DQ due to signing an improper scorecard. 

Rees' encapsulation of his first full season at NMJC is from a positive perspective.

"We have had a great year with five team wins, which is a new school record," Rees said. "We had our opportunities to win almost every tournament going back to September. Winning the national preview, the prestigious Titan Winter Classic, and setting school records with our win on our home course in the T-Bird Invitational was very memorable."

The job is not finished as the T-Birds cap off their season at Sand Creek Station in Newton, Kan. at the NJCAA National Championship May 16-19.

"The next goal will be to give ourselves the opportunity on the final day to win the program's first National Championship in golf," Rees said. "Our team goal will always be to win the day. We are preparing right now to be in the right place mentally and the guys will be spending many hours on the golf course so they can be 100% physically prepared for this opportunity."