[ By STEVE CARPENTER ]

[ HCC SPORTS INFORMATION ]

Photo courtesy of Andrew Carpenter, HCC Sports Information

WACO, Texas — Freshman Doug Rios-Ceballos remained in the individual top five, but the No. 5-ranked Hutchinson Community men’s golf team struggled on Tuesday and finished third in the Dr. Pepper Classic at Twin Rivers Golf Club.

Second by two strokes entering the final play of play on Tuesday, the Blue Dragons shot eight strokes higher than on Monday. Tyler Junior College beat the Dragons by 17 strokes in the second round and jumped from fourth to finish second, just one shot ahead of Hutchinson.

No. 9 New Mexico Junior College shot a 297 on Tuesday and won the team title with a 596, 12 strokes ahead of the Apaches. The Blue Dragons finished at 610.

Rios-Ceballos had his best tournament finish of the 2016 fall season, tying Tyler’s Cameron Brown for fifth at 4-over 148. Rios-Ceballos carded a 76 on Tuesday.

The Blue Dragons also counted Wil Arnold’s 73, Jack Lanham’s 80 and Matt Percy’s 80. Cole Gritton carded an 81.

Sophomore Mac McNish, playing as an individual, posted his lowest round of the fall season with a 1-under 71, 11 strokes better than Monday. McNish finished tied for 15th at 153.

Arnold rebounded to tie for 17th at 154. Lanham tied for 20th at 155. Gritton tied for 26th at 157 and Percy was tied for 30th at 158.

The Blue Dragons will open the 2017 spring season in March. The complete schedule hasn’t been released yet.