KERRVILLE, Texas — The Houston Christian men's golf team capped off the 2026 Southland Conference Championship on Wednesday with its best round of the week, posting a team score of -6 in the final round to move up one spot and finish third overall at The Club at Comanche Trace in Kerrville, Texas. The Huskies ended the 54-hole championship at +7, behind champion UTRGV at +2 and Incarnate Word at +3.

Senior Brendon Willey turned in the performance of the day for Houston Christian, carding a final-round 69 to climb from 23rd entering the day all the way to 10th in the individual standings. Willey made five birdies on the day, going out in 35 and coming home in 34 for a three-under effort that was the low round among HCU's lineup on Wednesday. He finished the championship at +3 across his three rounds of 75-75-69.

Senior Roy Barrera IV was right behind Willey with a strong final round of his own, posting a 70 to move from 38th to 27th individually. Barrera made three birdies and played a steady back nine to finish the week at +10 on rounds of 78-78-70. The final-round bounce-back was an encouraging close to what had been a difficult first two rounds for the senior.

Junior Brooks Pawlak posted a final-round 71 to finish the championship at +1, ending up fifth individually in the field. Pawlak, who entered the day ranked seventh, went out in 35 and came home in 36 with a birdie on the back nine to close at one under on the day. His three-round totals of 73-72-71 represented the most consistent performance in the Huskies' lineup across the entire week.

Senior Mason Napier, who had led HCU through the first two rounds at -1, posted an even-par 72 in the final round to finish the championship at -1 overall, good for third place in the individual standings. Napier's rounds of 71-72-72 were the most reliable string of scores on the team and gave the Huskies their highest individual finisher of the week. He entered the final day in third and held that position through 18 holes.

Senior Clayton Smith closed the championship with a final-round even-par 72 to move from 26th to 21st individually, finishing the week at +7 on rounds of 76-75-72. Smith's back-to-back even-par efforts in the final two rounds showed improvement as the week went on.

With the third-place finish, Houston Christian closes out the 2026 season on a strong note, moving up in the final standings behind a collective effort that saw all five counting players shoot at or under even par in Wednesday's final round. Freshman Tyler Joines served as the team's alternate throughout the championship and did not compete.