NEW MEXICO – Five athletes represented Eastern Wyoming College (EWC) at the NJCAA Men’s National Championships at Rockwind Community Links in Hobbs, New Mexico, from May 14-17.

The three-day event featured 24 teams vying for the top spot on the leaderboard over the course of four rounds on a golf course with a par of 71.

The Lancers finished the tournament ranked 16th on the leaderboard with a cumulative, four-round score of 1,178 strokes (42 over par). 

“It wasn’t the finish we wanted, but I’m proud of the way the guys battled all week and all year long,” coach Zach Smith said. “The national championship week is a grind mentally and physically, and they handled it well.”

The Lancers opened a rollercoaster ride of a tournament tied for ninth place following the first round.

“The guys got off to a solid start on Tuesday against some other really great programs,” Smith said. “We struggled on Wednesday to get much going, but we were able to play great on Thursday. We had one of the top-five rounds on Thursday that helped put us back in the hunt for a top 10 finish. Unfortunately, we struggled mightily on Friday to finish 16th.”

EWC freshman Braylon Bingham led the Lancer pack, tying for 34th place after four rounds with an overall score of 289 (five over par). 

Sophomore Ryker Dunkley shot 297 to tie for 60th place at 13-over-par. Freshman Tytan Birchell advanced to 65th place on the leaderboard with a four-day score of 298 (+14).

Fellow freshman Taiki Sugawara shot 300 (+16) to tie for 72nd place. Freshman Joshua Chapman completed three rounds with a score of 229.

“I’m very excited for Braylon Bingham – he played well each day and really helped keep some of our hopes alive for a higher finish,” coach Smith said. 

Smith praised the Lancers for solid performances throughout the long season.

“We had a great season and I’m thankful for the guys and their families,” Smith added. “I think we are all looking forward to a break, but we are also excited about the talent we have returning next year.”