A junior from Wellingborough, England, Ryan led the top-ranked men's golf team to a 13-stroke victory over second-place Oklahoma City at the UST Mamiya Intercollegiate at Hawks Creek Golf Club. Ryan turned in rounds of 2-under 70 and 4-under 68 to tie for the low score in regulation, then lost on the second hole of a playoff. A total of 84 golfers were in the 13-team field, which besides Wayland and No. 2 OCU also included No. 4 Oklahoma Baptist and then-No. 8 Texas Wesleyan.
Coach Tom Harp commended Ryan, who was named Sooner Athletic Conference Men's Golfer of the Week for the second time in three weeks, both for his golf and his attitude upon falling just short in the playoff.
"Ryan clutched up some really good 3-woods, he just fell a bit short,” Harp said. “He handled it like a pro. I know he was heartbroken, but he kept a smile on his face for the team."
It was the third time in seven tournaments that Ryan has finished atop the leaderboard this academic year. He tied for first at the Northwood Fall Shootout in late October and was first outright two weeks ago at the San Antonio Shootout, after which he also was named SAC Men’s Golfer of the Week. Connolly now has five top-five finishes in seven events this academic year.
