HENDERSON, Nevada – Texas State golfers
Sakke Siltala and
Ben Loveard led the Bobcats with top 10 performances at the Lake Las Vegas Invitational that wrapped up Wednesday at the Reflection Bay Golf Club in Henderson, Nevada. As a team, TXST finished tied for fifth.
Siltala (69-73-65--207) made a final charge up the individual leaderboard in the third round, carding five of his 13 birdies across the final nine holes to finish with the low individual round of the day at 7-under 65, one off his season best. Overall, Siltala finished fifth at 9-under, his first top five finish of the season. In round one, Siltala carded a pair of eagles on hole Nos. 9 and 14, good for second at the tournament and a team-best four total in 2025-26.
The senior was one of two Bobcats, alongside Loveard, to post a pair of rounds in the 60s at the event bringing his season total to five.
Loveard (68-72-69--209) finished two strokes back from Siltala at -7 to tie for sixth in the 69-player field. His two rounds in the 60s extended his team-leading mark to seven this season and, like Siltala, his tournament ended in a season-best performance as well as his first in the top 10. Loveard's low round of the event was also the low individual round for round one, which featured eight of his 14 birdies.
The Bobcats (287-288-273--848) finished 16-under for the tournament to tie with UC San Diego and were just one stroke outside of the top three that included team champion Boise State (-23), Louisiana (-19) and Coastal Carolina and Northern Illinois (-17). TXST's third round 273 (-15) not only matches a season-low for the team (Hal Williams, Round 1), but was also the low round of the tournament.
"[It was a] solid week for the guys," Head Coach
Shane Howell said. "We're still in search of three good rounds in a tournament instead of just two. We will keep working and building from here."
Also representing the Bobcats were
Bryce Womack (76-72-70--218) and
Jaxon Donaldson (76-73-69--218) who tied for 34th thanks to rounds of 70 and 69, respectively, on the final day and
Brannan Cox (74-71-79--224) who finished tied for 53rd.
Enzo Dakiche (73-69-75--217) represented TXST as an individual at the tournament, signing for his first round in the 60s this season in round two to finish tied for 31st.
After a week's hiatus, the Bobcats return to action March 9-10 in Lafayette, Louisiana, for the Louisiana Classics at the Oakbourne Country Club.
