Fall Season in Review: Men’s Golf

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men’s golf team used a strong finish in last fall to propel into a strong spring season and will look to do the same after another strong fall finish in 2024.

The Vaqueros used a 10-under 854 at the Monterrey Collegiate Classic to post a fall-best fifth place finish. After posting a first round 287, the Vaqueros posted a second round 278, which is the eighth lowest single round team score in program history, before closing out with a final round 289.

It was the second time this fall that the Vaqueros posted a three-round score of even par or better after posting an even par 864 at the Bayou City Collegiate Classic in Houston.

Senior Juan Luis de Bethencourt Duque put an exclamation point on the fall by winning the Monterrey Collegiate Classic with a program record 203 after posting back-to-back rounds of 66 and closed it out with a one-under par 71. Duque broke Armen Kirakossian (2009) and Manuel Inman’s (1999) record of 204.

Duque’s rounds of 66 tied for the sixth lowest individual round in program history. Duque finished the fall with a 72.6 scoring average, which is second lowest on the team.

Junior Arthit Kruaprayong led the Vaqueros in the fall with a 72.5 scoring average after posting finishing three tournaments at even or under par. Kruaprayong started the fall with a one-under 209 at the JT Poston Invitational and then posted an even par 216 at the Trinity Forest Invitational before posting a one-under 215 at the Monterrey Collegiate Classic.

Kruaprayong, who is in his first season with the Vaqueros, his helping to fill in the role of Javier Neira Garcia, who graduated last spring. Junior Luis Limón is also a newcomer that is finding his role as he finished the fall with a 74.4 scoring average as he saved the best for last with a two-under 214 at the Monterrey Collegiate Classic.

Sophomore Esteban Gonzalez had some good moments in the fall as he finished with a 74.0 scoring average. Gonzalez finished a pair of tournaments under par as he finished the Bayou City Collegiate Classic with a two-under 214 and closed out the fall with a one-under 215 at the Monterrey Collegiate Classic.

The Vaqueros got good moments throughout the fall and were starting to put it all together at the end of the fall. Last year, they used the fall finish to post a top-five finish at the Los Vaqueros Intercollegiate, a win at The Big Texan, and a second place finish at the WAC Championship.

The Vaqueros will be looking for more of the same as they head into their first year in the Southland Conference in 2025.