WC's Benson takes first place at Las Vegas Shootout

The Weatherford College men's golf team finished third out of 15 teams at the Las Vegas Shootout Feb 21-22 in Boulder City, Nevada. 

WC's Samuel Benson won the individual championship, shooting 73-79-73 to finish nine over par, topping 84 other players. 

"Samuel played some great golf to the conditions which were some of the hardest I have seen," said Jesse Speirs, WC golf coach. "The first day we played 36 holes nonstop, and from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., the wind was blowing constantly at 30 miles per hour and higher." 

Benton, freshman from New Diana, made a 25-foot birdie putt on the 16^th hole in his third round that ultimately won the tournament for him. He finished one stroke ahead of Will Fore of Oklahoma City University. 

The field was made up of a mix of four-year private universities and two-year colleges. Oklahoma City University won the tournament and Benedictine University-Mesa finished second. The host course was Boulder Creek Golf Club, a par-72, 7,452-yard tract. 

WC's Gatlin Goad and Logan Moore tied for 12^th place individually at 21-over. Bradley Missel tied for 38^th and Bryce McCracken was 71^st. 

"This was a big trip for the team," said Speirs. "Going out of state to compete against teams from all over was a great experience."