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EmailTexas Christian fired its second straight 5-under 283 Thursday to win the National Invitational Tournament for the second time in three years. The Horned Frogs, No. 17 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings, beat fifth-ranked Texas by 10 strokes at the OMNI Tucson (Ariz.) National.
Texas sophomore Dylan Frittelli, who entered the final round one stroke back, carded a 2-under 70 to win his first individual title of the season, and the second of his career. He won the Puerto Rico Classic last season. Fritelli finished at 6-under 210, three shots ahead of Colorado State’s Bryce Hanstad (71) and Baylor’s Joakim Mikkelsen (74). Texas’ Bobby Hudson (71) was fourth at 2-under 214.
TCU posted three middle-of-the-pack finishes – 14th, ninth and eighth – in its first three starts this spring. But that hardly mattered in Tucson, where the Horned Frogs also won in 2008.
Led by Daniel Jennevret (T-5) and Johan de Beer (T-12), TCU finished at 12-under 852, 10 strokes better than Texas and 13 ahead of SMU, which fired a sizzling 10-under 278 in Round 3 and came in at 865. It was the Horned Frogs’ second victory this season, after winning The Prestige at PGA West in the fall.
Frittelli, meanwhile, was arguably one of the hottest players entering the tournament, having posted consecutive top-5 finishes (and four overall) during his sophomore season. The South African, No. 11 in Golfweek's rankings, saved his best for the NIT, carding a tournament-low 67 in Round 2 en route to his first victory of the season.
TCU now will head to Marana, Ariz., for the Callaway Collegiate Match Play, which begins Sunday.
