HUTCHINSON, Kan. Kansas State had three players finish among the top 15 individuals and the Wildcats combined to shoot a team total of 881 to finish fourth Tuesday at the 2004 Big 12 Men’s Golf Championships held at the par-70 Prairie Dunes Country Club.

It was the best Big 12 finish ever for K-State, which has climbed consistently at the league championship under the guidance of seventh-year head coach Tim Norris, and the best finish by the Wildcats since taking fourth at the 1969 Big Eight Championships.

Texas, tied with Oklahoma State heading into today’s third round, played consistently over the final 18 holes to claim its third straight Big 12 Championship with a final score of 287-290-287864. With the title, Texas became the first team to win three consecutive Big 12 Championships and ties Oklahoma State for the most overall Big 12 Championships with three.

The Longhorns held off hard-charging Oklahoma, which carded the low round of the tournament with a 283 to finished six strokes behind Texas at 870.

Oklahoma State finished in third at 873.

Individually, Texas’ Jason Hartwick, who placed second at last year’s Big 12 Champiionships at Southern Hills, claimed medalist honors in convincing fashion, finishing with a 6-under 204 (70-66-68), five strokes ahead of Oklahoma’s Anthony Kim (213).

K-State senior Aaron Watkins, who started the day in third, finished in a tie for sixth after shooting a 5-over 75 for a three-round total of 216 (+6). Watkins’ finish matched his career best in the Big 12, as he also tied for sixth in 2002. Watkins now has the two highest finishes in the conference for the Wildcats since Paul Anderson tied for fifth back in 1973. It was also his sixth top-10 finish of the season.

Junior Matt Van Cleave carded the Wildcats’ lowest round on the day with a 73 to finish tied for ninth. The Maryville, Mo., native wrapped up the tournament at 9-over 219, and in the process garnered his sixth top-10 finish.

Senior A.J. Elgert was the final K-Stater to place among the top 15, shooting a final-round 78 (+8) to go along with his rounds of 69 and 74 on Monday to finish tied for 13th at 221 (+11).

Kansas State’s two other players, senior Tim Moody and sophomore Ben Kern, placed 36^th and 40^th, respectively.

2004 Big 12 Men’s Golf Championship

Hutchinson, Kan.

Prairie Dunes Country Club

6,596 yards, par 70

April 26-27

Final Team Results

1. Texas, 287-290-287=864

2. Oklahoma, 295-292-283=870

3. Oklahoma State, 292-285-296=873

4. Kansas State, 290-289-302=881

T5. Colorado, 295-301-297=893

T5. Kansas, 291-301-301=893

T5. Texas Tech, 294-303-296=893

8. Iowa State, 296-298-300=894

9. Baylor, 299-297-299=895

10. Texas A&M, 304-305-295=904

11. Missouri, 299-301-320=920

12. Nebraska, 314-299-313=926

Individual Results

1 Jason Hartwick, Texas, 70-66-68=204

2 Anthony Kim, Oklahoma, 76-70-67=213

T3 Farren Keenan, Texas, 71-73-70=214

T3 Alex Noren, Oklahoma State, 71-68-75=214

5 Ryan Baca, Baylor, 71-73-71=215

T6 Blake Martin, Oklahoma 70-74-72=216

T6 Aaron Watkins, Kansas State, 70-71-75=216

8 Casey Wittenberg, Oklahoma State, 73-73-71=217

T9 Oscar Floren, Texas Tech, 70-74-75=219

T9 Matt VanCleave, Kansas State, 76-70-73=219

T11 Jeff Bell, Texas, 73-75-72=220

T11 Carlos Del Moral, Oklahoma, 73-75-72=220

T13 Jeremy Alcorn, Baylor, 74-71-76=221

T13 A.J. Elgert, Kansas State, 69-74-78=221

T13 Martin Flores, Oklahoma, 76-73-72=221

T16 Kenny Coakley, Colorado, 74-74-74=222

T16 Tyler Leon, Oklahoma State, 71-76-75=222

T16 David Schultz, Texas A&M, 73-77-72=222

19 Tyler Swanson, Iowa State, 75-76-72=223

T20 Chris Clarke, Oklahoma State, 78-71-75=224

T20 Judd Cornell, Nebraska, 75-75-74=224

T20 Tyler Docking, Kansas,  73-75-76=224

T20 Andrew Dresser, Texas Tech, 72-77-75=224

T20 Tyler Hall, Kansas, 72-78-74=224

T20 Jeff Hanson, Colorado, 75-76-73=224

T20 Edward McGlasson, Colorado, 73-74-77=224

T20 Kevin Ward, Kansas, 77-74-73=224

T20 Kane Webber, Colorado, 73-77-74=224

T29 Jon Antunes Baylor, 76-73-76=225

T29 Rand Arbuckle, Texas A&M, 75-74-76=225

T29 Drew Dalziel, Iowa State, 75-74-76=225

T29 Curtis Foster, Iowa State, 71-78-76=225

T29 William Haddrell, Texas Tech, 77-75-73=225

T29 Andrew Price, Kansas, 72-75-78=225

35 Jeremy Lyons, Iowa State, 75-70-81=226

T36 Tim Moody, Kansas State, 75-74-78=227

T36 Zack Robinson, Oklahoma State, 77-73-77=227

T36 Matthew Rosenfeld, Texas, 73-77-77=227

T36 Ben Scott, Missouri,  76-76-75=227

T40 Ben Kern, Kansas State, 77-75-76=228

T40 Andrew Parr, Texas A&M, 81-77-70=228

T42 Chris Mabry, Missouri, 74-74-81=229

T42 Chris Pace, Texas Tech, 76-80-73=229

T42 Gary Woodland, Kansas, 74-77-78=229

T45 Blake Moore, Colorado, 75-79-76=230

T45 JJ Sullivan, Nebraska,  80-76-74=230

T47 Paul Huddle, Iowa State, 76-79-76=231

T47 Shaun Melville, Texas Tech, 76-77-78=231

T47 David Tasker, Texas A&M, 77-77-77=231

50 Doug Manor, Oklahoma, 78-77-77=232

51 Rusty Kennedy, Texas, 77-76-80=233

T52 Tom Bethel, Nebraska, 79-75-80=234

T52 Jeremy Frye, Baylor, 78-80-76=234

T52 David Jenkins, Missouri, 75-79-80=234

55 John Kelly, Missouri, 74-78-84=236

56 Stephen Reed, Texas A&M, 79-81-77=237

57 Michael Radek, Missouri, 80-73-85=238

58 Chris Hartwig, Nebraska, 83-73-85=241

59 Drew Reynolds, Nebraska, 80-79-87=246

60 Will Doughtie, Baylor, 80-86-87=253