Even though NIU only finished 10 out of 11 at the Jim West Intercollegiate tournament in McKinney, Texas, it was still a big day for senior Bryce Emory.

Emory, who finished regular play with an even par score of 216, won the tournament on the third playoff hole against Sarosh Adi of TCU.

Emory finished the first round in first place out of 60 with a one under par performance over 36 holes. Emory’s one over 73 to finish the tournament put him in position to compete with Adi in playoff golf.

Emory said there was a lot of pressure going into the playoff.

“It was pretty nerve-racking,” Emory said in a news release. “I had to make a 20-footer just to have a playoff. The playoff was more nerve-wracking, but luckily I was able to grind it out for a win.”

For NIU as team, the results were typical of the spring semester. The Huskies finished 10th out of 11 in competition with a 925, which was 61 over par. The team finish can likely be contributed to the course conditions.

“Team-wise, it was a hard golf course, you had to drive it well and you had to have command of the putter,” said head coach Tom Porten in a news release.

The Huskies also had a standout performance from senior Griffin Bauman, who finished play with a three-round score of 234 tied for 46 place out of 60. Bauman’s second-round 70 was the lowest individual round score for the Huskies over the tournament, and he was the only golfer other than Emory who had all three rounds scored in the 70s.

Also playing well was freshman Connor Nelson. Nelson’s three-round total was a 237, three shots more than Bauman. Nelson played consistently, recording scores of 80-78-79 over the three rounds, and finished tied for 52 out of 60.

Even with the continued strong play from Bauman and the performance of Nelson, this tournament was all about Emory.

“The story was all Bryce,” Porten said in a news release. “He was in command all day and I couldn’t be happier for him.”

Emory’s first-place finish is the first NIU individual victory since Jeff Dick in 2010. The Huskies will return to the Midwest to compete at the Kemper Sports Intercollegiate April 15 in Glenview.