AMARILLO, Texas -- Only one word seemed suitable to describe Garrett Leek's collegiate debut at the Ryan Palmer Foundation Invitational Tuesday afternoon at Tascosa Country Club.
 
Sensational and if there really had to be a second synonym, then you would have to go with historic while leading Midwestern State to a runner-up team showing with an 8-under, 52-hole total of 844.
 
The Brock High School graduate became the first freshman in program history to open his career with three scores in the 60s as followed a pair of 68s fired on Monday with a 69 in the final round to finish with an 8-under total of 205 to earn all-tournament honors.
 
"Garrett played exceptional golf and was able to keep momentum with consistent putting," MSU coach Jeff Ray said.
 
Only the play of returning All American Emilio Gonzales of St. Mary's (Texas) and regional qualifier Nicholas Tenuta of Regis (Colo.) kept Leek away from the top of the leader board.
 
Gonzales claimed medalist honors with scores of 66, 67 and 66 for a 14-under total of 199, while Tenuta carded rounds of 67, 69 and 66 for an 11-under 202.
 
"Garrett got the experience of playing on the final card with a first-team All American and showed he is not far off," Ray said.
 
Leek's 54-hole total of 205 is third lowest in program history, but his to-par showing matches Jared Baker's 8-under performance at the 2016 Dallas Baptist Patriot Classic as the second best in school history by Derek Oland's 13-under showing at the 2014 West Florida Argonaut Invitational.
 
In fact, his three scores in the 60s puts him one away from matching MSU Texas' frosh record of four set by Travis Klutts in 2007-08 then matched by Oland in 2011-12.
 
Sophomore Jake Doggett wasn't far behind his frosh teammates the Hutto native shot the Mustangs' low round of the day with a third-round 68 after firing a 68 and 72 on Monday for a 5-under total of 208 to finish tied for sixth.
 
"Jake played very well over the summer and brought the same focus into the fall for us," Ray said. "He is very talented and ready to play great golf for us."
 
Freshman Kolton Baber marked solid scores of 71, 70 and 73 for a 1-over total of 214 to tie for 22nd, while senior Chance Craig tied for 32nd with a 4-over total of 217 and sophomore Keiton Hoster tied for 72nd with an 18-over total of 231.
 
The team combined to help the Mustangs to the second-best 54-hole performance to-par in program history. The 8-under 844 was bettered only by the 24-under showing at the 2009 Lone Star Conference Championships.
 
Midwestern State competes in the Western New Mexico Fall Intercollegiate to be played at the University of New Mexico Golf Course in Albuquerque on Oct. 1-2.

  

Ryan Palmer Foundation Invitational
Tascosa Country Club Amarillo, Texas Par 71, 6,512 yards
Team Leaderboard
Place	Team	Round Scores	Total	To Par
1	St. Mary's (Texas)	275-279-282	836	-16
2	Midwestern State	277-283-284	844	-8
3	St. Edward's (Texas)	279-281-286	846	-6
4	Oklahoma Christian	274-291-283	848	-4
5	Colorado Mesa	284-284-281	849	-3
6	Regis (Colo.)	282-291-278	851	-1
7	Hutchinson CC (Kan.)	280-287-291	858	+6
	Wayland Baptist (Texas)	286-285-287	858	+6
9	Lubbock Christian (Texas)	290-284-288	862	+10
	Colorado School of Mines	290-283-289	862	+10
11	Texas A&M-Commerce	283-280-300	863	+11
12	Dallas Baptist (Texas)	289-281-297	867	+15
13	West Texas A&M	288-288-293	869	+17
14	Cameron (Okla.)	299-290-290	879	+27
15	UT Permian Basin	295-296-302	893	+41
Individual Leaderboard
Place	Player, Team	Round Scores	Total	To Par
1	Emilio Gonzales, St. Mary's	66-67-66	199	-14
2	Nicholas Tenuta, Regis	67-69-66	202	-11
3	Garrett Leek, Midwestern State	68-68-69	205	-8
4	Charlie Crockett, Hutchinson CC	67-68-71	206	-7
5	Sebastien Tremulot, Wayland Baptist	67-72-68	207	-6
6	Grant Olinger, Colorado Mesa	68-68-72	208	-5
	Isaac Petersilie, Colorado Mesa	69-71-68	208	-5
	Tyler Zhang, Regis	69-71-68	208	-5
	Jake Doggett, Midwestern State	68-72-68	208	-5
10	Trevor Norby, Oklahoma Christian	68-73-68	209	-4
	Andrew Spear, St. Edward's	70-70-69	209	-4
Midwestern State Scorecard
2	Midwestern State	277-283-284	844	-8
3	Garrett Leek (3)	68-68-69	205	-8
6t	Jake Doggett (1)	68-72-68	208	-5
22t	Kolton Baber (2)	71-70-73	214	+1
32t	Chance Craig (4)	70-73-74	217	+4
72t	Keiton Hoster (5)	79-76-76	231	+18
*** - playing as an individual medalist only.