MONTGOMERY, Texas – Just one tournament removed from winning the Monterrey International Invitational in Mexico, Max Bengtsson nearly pulled off medalist honors again, finishing second at the Bentwater Intercollegiate Monday-Tuesday.
 
At -5, Bengtsson finished two shots back of Sam Houston's Josh German for the individual title. The Tarleton State sophomore turned in cards of 72-67-69, making a push late with an eagle on his 13th hole, then back-to-back birdies over his 16th and 17th holes. He ultimately finished with the silver medal for his second top-two finish in his last three tournaments.
 
The Texans placed tied-seventh as a team at +34 (297-292-297) at the tournament co-hosted by Sam Houston and Rice at Bentwater Country Club's Miller Course in Montgomery, Texas.
 
"It was an overall better performance this week by the Texans," head coach Chance Cain said. "Max played some solid golf the last two rounds and made a charge late in the round shooting 3-under in his last six holes. It was great to see him bounce back this week and come back into form like he finished the fall. As a team, we need to figure out how to start out of the gates better instead of giving shots away to the field and then having to battle back. We have a couple of weeks back home to clean up some things and be ready for the Colin Montgomerie Invitational."
 
Alvaro Huidobro finished tied-30th at +9 (72-76-74), his best place on the leaderboard this season. Cristobal Sepulveda shot +16 (76-76-77) for tied-54th, Bladen Samaniego was +19 (81-73-78) for tied-63rd, and Carson Gallaher was +20 (77-79-77) for tied-65th.
 
Bengtsson was tied-first after the first two rounds, 36 holes played on Monday, entering the final round Tuesday. In his best round, the second at -4, he closed with four birdies over his final seven holes, a -3 stretch, holing six birdies on the round. He had the tied-best score overall on Par 4's across the 81-man field at -4. He also recorded the tied-second most birdies across the tournament at 14.

As a group, the Texans had the most eagles of the 13 teams at three, thanks to Bengtsson, Samaniego and Huidobro with one each. They were tied-second on Par 5's in the event at -5, largely due to Huidobro, who was -5 himself, tied-second best in the tournament.
 
Sam Houston won the Bentwater Intercollegiate at +3 (296-278-281).
 
After playing back-to-back weeks to start the spring, the Texans now get a break before their next event. They'll head to Sugar Land, Texas, next for the Colin Montgomerie Invitational on March 4-5 at Sweetwater Country Club.