(Blinn College's Cameron Gray)

The 14th-ranked Blinn College men's golf team opened its spring season with a fifth-place finish at the Claud Jacobs Invitational Monday at the Victoria Country Club in Victoria, Texas.

The Buccaneers finished 59-over par with a two-day, three-round total of 923 to finish in the top 5 of the 14-team competition. Midland College won the tournament with a total score of 861. 

Blinn sophomore Cameron Gray finished tied for 16th individually with a team-best score of 229. Sophomore Hunter McDonough tied for 23rd with a 231.

Helping round out the top 40 were Buccaneer freshman Carson Wray, who tied for 26th (233); freshman Van Miller, who tied for 33rd (235); freshman Sam Sewell, who fired a 238 for a 37th-place tied; and freshman Cole McClellan and sophomore Kannin Mikulik, who tied for 40th with a 240.

"The guys competed well the past two days," Blinn head coach David Johnson said. "It was good for us to face a tough challenge on the greens our first time out. In golf you are not playing other players, you are competing against the golf course, all the variables with the weather, and yourself. We will work hard to improve our skills before Tyler in two weeks."

The Buccaneers resume their season at the Tyler Junior College Spring Invitational on Monday, Feb. 28, in Bullard, Texas. 

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 42 NJCAA national championships since 1987.