SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Casey Leebrick left no doubt on who the best golfer was at the 2023 Big Sky Championship as he won the individual title by six strokes on Tuesday at Talking Stick Golf Club. Leebrick became the fifth individual Big Sky champion in school history and the third for the team since 2017. He completed the three-round tournament with scores of 64-71-67-202 and ended at 8-under par. His total is the best 54-hole score in school history for any tournament.

Sacramento State finished in second place and had the best team score during the third round. The Hornets totaled 283-291-278-852 and finished seven strokes behind Northern Colorado. Idaho was a distant third, finishing 10 strokes behind Sacramento State. Both Northern Colorado and Leebrick earned automatic berths to an NCAA Regional. The NCAA selection show will be on Wednesday, May 3, on GOLF Channel at 10 a.m. PT.

Leebrick created distance with a bogey-free front nine on Wednesday. He parred the first six holes and then birdied the par-4 seventh and par-3 eighth. His only miscue of the day came on the par-4 12th where he had a double bogey. From there, he parred the next two holes and closed with birdies on Nos. 15, 17 and 18. Leebrick's victory was his first as a Hornet and the third of his collegiate career. His 54-hole total was four strokes better than his previous best and beat the previous school record of 204 which was held by Owen Taylor (2013), Ryan Williams (2012) and Jake Johnson (2010).

Zach Mate also finished with a round in the 60s as the freshman carded a 68 and concluded the tournament in 10th place (73-75-68-216). Mate had a slow start to his round with a bogey on the par-5 second and a triple bogey on the par-4 third to leave him at 4-over. He birdied the par-3 sixth and made the turn at 3-over. Mate torched the back side of the course with five birdies over the nine holes.

Gabriel Smith tied for fourth with three rounds of 71. Smith was 1-over on the first nine holes with a birdie on the par-4 fifth and bogeys on Nos. 6 and 9. He was even on his final nine holes with two birdies and two pars.

Jeffrey Perry completed the team total with a 2-over par round of 72. Perry parred his first 11 holes and then had consecutive bogeys on Nos. 12 and 13. He recovered with five more bogeys to close the tournament. Overall, Perry tied for 25th place at 81-75-72-228.

Riley Bell finished 21st at 75-74-76-225. Bell had the best start on the team with two birdies but found himself at 1-over through seven holes. He made the turn at 1-under following birdies on the par-3 eighth and par-4 ninth. Bell has 7-over on the back nine with a birdie, a double bogey and two triple bogeys.

BIG SKY CHAMPIONSHIP
Scottsdale, Ariz. | Talking Stick Golf Club
Par 70 | 7,059 Yards

TEAM STANDINGS
1. Northern Colorado 284-281-280-845
2. Sacramento State 283-291-278-852
3. Idaho 288-282-292-862
4. Weber State 290-279-296-865
5. Hartford 307-292-291-890
6. Binghamton 296-301-301-898

INDIVIDUAL TOP FIVE
1. Casey Leebrick, SAC, 64-71-67-202
2. Jack Castiglia, UNC, 70-72-66-208
3. Yuze Zhang, UNC, 71-70-70-211
T4. Gabriel Smith, SAC, 71-71-71-213
T4. Isaac Buerger, WSU, 74-67-72-213
T4. TJ Shehee, UNC, 67-74-72-213

SACRAMENTO STATE SCORES
1. Casey Leebrick 64-71-67-202
T4. Gabriel Smith 71-71-71-213
10. Zach Mate 73-75-68-216
21. Riley Bell 75-74-76-225
T25. Jeffrey Perry 81-75-72-228