FRESNO, Calif. — Luke Kristo matched his career best with a round of 67 and Robert Parden tied for ninth overall to guide the Sacramento State men's golf team in the final round of the Nick Watney Invitational on Tuesday.

The pair combined with even-par rounds from Taylor Knoll and Aaron Beverly to help the Hornets shoot 281 (7-under par) during the third round. That score was the lowest among the 10 teams during the day and moved Sacramento State into seventh place with a three-round total of 288-295-281-864. Pacific extended its large lead to win the tournament by 20 strokes. The Tigers totaled 281-270-287-838 and were trailed by Fresno State (858), UC Irvine (860), Cal Poly (860) and Santa Clara (860) in the top five.

Sacramento State's three round total ranks as the eight best in school history.

"The guys played great today and hopefully we'll be able to use this as a forward step heading into our next tournament," Sacramento State head coach Christopher Hall said. "We just played better golf today. The guys were more aggressive and it paid off."

Parden shot 71-72-70-213 for the tournament to better his previous 54-hole best by seven strokes. He finished tied for ninth place and was seven strokes behind Pacific's Byron Meth who was the medalist after shooting 70-65-71-206.

He began on the 10th hole with a birdie and moved to 2-under following a birdie on the par-3 13th. Consecutive bogeys on Nos. 15 and 16 returned him to even where he remained at the turn. On the front side of the course, the sophomore was 2-under with birdies on the par-4 first and par-5 fifth.

Kristo got off to a fantastic start, playing his first 11 holes at 6-under par. He started with a birdie on No. 10 and added three more on Nos. 12, 16 and 18. He extended his streak to three consecutive birdies after recording threes on Nos. 1 and 2. His lone miscues of the day game on holes 4 and 5. He bogeyed the par-3 fourth and then doubled the par-5 fifth. After two pars, Kristo ended his round with birdies on the par-4 eighth and par-5 ninth.

The senior matched his career best of 67 which came last season at the Itani Quality Homes Collegiate and the Ram Masters Invitational. His performance on Tuesday moved him into a tie for 14th place at 73-75-67-215.

Knoll also had his best round as a Hornet finishing with three birdies and three pars. He stood at 2-over through three holes with bogeys on the par-4 11th and 12th. A birdie on No. 14 and five pars left him at 1-over at the midway point of the round. He jumped to 2-over with a bogey on No. 1 but closed with birdies on Nos. 3 and 9 and seven pars. Overall, he tied for 29th place at 75-73-72-220.

Beverly finished tied for 34th after shooting 74-75-72-221. On Tuesday, the sophomore started with a birdie on No. 10 but was quickly in the black after bogeys on Nos. 11 and 12. Beverly then parred his next 10 holes, returned to even with a birdie on the par-5 fifth and moved to 1-under with a birdie on the par-3 sixth. Again, his momentum was immediately stopped with a double bogey on No. 7. Following a par, he birdied No. 9 to close even.

Riley Hayfield, who led the team in the first round on Monday with a 70, tied for 38th place with a 54-hole total of 70-77-76-223. Hayfield's final round was comprised of a birdie on No. 6 and five bogeys.

Freshman Zach Liberatore competed as an individual and finished 57th after shooting 80-75-78-233.

NICK WATNEY INVITATIONAL
Fresno, Calif. | Sunnyside CC
Par 72 | 6,950 Yards

TEAM RESULTS
1. Pacific 381-270-287-838
2. Fresno State 281-287-290-858
T3. UC Irvine 282-289-289-860
T3. Cal Poly 293-282-285-860
T3. Santa Clara 285-290-285-860
6. CSU Northridge 287-288-288-863
7. SACRAMENTO STATE 288-295-281-864
8. Grand Canyon 291-288-287-866
9. UC Riverside 296-290-283-869
10. CSU Bakersfield 290-289-300-879

INDIVIDUAL TOP FIVE
1. Byron Meth, PAC, 70-65-71-206
2. Mitchell Martin, CP, 70-69-68-207
T3. Steven Molumby, CSUN, 70-67-72-209
T3. Carlos Briones, SCU, 71-70-68-209
T3. Matt Lee, PAC, 68-71-70-209

SACRAMENTO STATE SCORES
T9. Robert Parden 71-72-70-213
T14. Luke Kristo 73-75-67-215
T29. Taylor Knoll 75-73-72-220
T34. Aaron Beverly 74-75-72-221
T38. Riley Hayfield 70-77-76-223
57. Zach Liberatore* 80-75-78-233
* Playing as an individual