Golf Opens 2025 Fall Season at Argent Financial Classic

HOUSTON — For the fifth straight year, the Rice Golf team will begin its season in Choudrant, La., at the Argent Financial Classic, Sept. 7-9.

TEAM FIELD

Joining Rice in the 17-team field are UAB, Houston, Jacksonville State, Lamar, Louisiana, Louisiana-Monroe, host Louisiana Tech, Memphis, Nicholls State, North Texas, South Alabama, UTSA, Troy, and WKU.

JUSTIN EMIL QUOTABLE

"We're excited to start the new season at a course that we are familiar with. The guys have had a strong preseason and we looking forward to going out and trying to get a win."

LIVE SCORING

Fans can follow live scoring of the Argent Financial Classic by visiting Scoreboard.com or by clicking here.

THE LINEUP

Lukas Boandl – No. 1 position … Participated in 12 tournaments … one of three golfers to participate in all 11 team tournaments … AAC All-Conference ... NCAA Bremerton Regional participant … led the team with a 71.40 stroke average, a -0.26 average to par, 22 rounds of par or better, 145 birdies, and 11 rounds in the 60's … his season stroke average and average vs. par are the second fewest in school history … his 11 rounds in the 60's tied the single-season school record … three top five, three top 10, and eight top 20 finishes … earned the No. 2 seed at the NCAA Bremerton Regional, tying for 19th-place … won his first career tournament at the Argent Financial Classic (9/8-10), finishing -10 to become the fourth golfer in school history to shoot -10 or better in a tournament … tied the second lowest score in the first round when he fired a 65 … tied for first at the Bayou City Collegiate Classic (9/30-10/1) at -12, tying the second-lowest score to par in school history … opened the tournament with his second 65 of the season, becoming the first golfer in school history with two rounds of 65 or better … set the school record with a 36-hole score of 133

Henry Daly – No. 2 position … transfer from Virginia … in his second stint at Rice, where he began his collegiate career as a freshman in 2022 … participated in four tournaments … had a 70.91 stroke average … four top 20 finishes … seven rounds of par or better … five rounds in the 60's … had a season-best seventh-place tie at the Tempest Collegiate (10/9-11) … tied for 12th-place at the Jim Rivers Intercollegiate (9/11-13), finishing six-under par … tied for 11th at the Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational (10/3-4) … twice fired a season-low 67 … tied for 13th at the Clerico (10/24-25).

Daniel Zou – No. 3 position … Participated in all 12 tournaments … one of three golfers to participate in all 11 tournaments … AAC All-Conference ... AAC Freshman of the Year ... AAC Golfer of the Week (3/5) … NCAA Bremerton Regional participant … second on the team with a 71.81 stroke average, a 0.14 average vs. par, 21 rounds of par or better, nine rounds in the 60's, and 131 birdies … three top 10 and six top 20 finishes … tied for first-place at the Bayou City Collegiate Classic (9/30-10/1) at -12 … fired a final round 66 … tied for eighth at the Border Olympics (2/17-18) … finished in 10th-place at the Cabo Collegiate, where he defeated the No. 1 and No. 3 ranked player in the country … tied for 18th-place at the Steelwood Collegiate Invitational (10/26-27) … tied for 12th-place at the All-American Intercollegiate (3/17-18) ... tied for 11th-place at the AAC Championship (4/21-23), where he tied a career-low with a 66 in the second round.

Raines Watson – No. 4 position … is making his first collegiate action … Averaged 73.23 strokes per round in his junior events … last year, won the Region 3-5A tournament with a 74-68 (142) and finished third at the UIL Class 5-A state tournament … qualified for the 2025 U.S. Junior Amateur by firing a three-under par 67, tying for fourth-place … in 2024, won the District 21-5A title and finished fourth at the regional tournament to earn a spot in the Texas State Championship … had runner-up finishes at the Legends Junior Tour (LJT) Winter Classic, carding 71-69 to finish -4, as well as at the Greenwood Cup … finished second at the Southern Texas PGA's Antigua Bluebonnet Classic … at the Taylor Gooch Foundation Junior Championship, he fired a second round 67, leading to a third-place finish.

Davis Byrd – No. 5 position … redshirted last year … in 2023-24, participated in nine events … had a 75.81 stroke average … three rounds of par or better … tied the lowest round of his career when he fired a final round 69 at the Louisiana Classics (3/12) … tied for 33rd-place at the Bentwater Intercollegiate (2/12-13) … tied for 34th-place at the All-American Intercollegiate (3/18-19).

Jaivir Pande – Individual – participated in nine events … had a 74.92 stroke average … five rounds of par or better … three round in the 60's … earned his first career top-20 finish at the Ram Masters Invitational (9/17-18), tying for 15th-place at -1 … closed the tournament with rounds of 68-67 … tied for 33rd-place at the Steelwood Collegiate Invitational (10/26-27).

PAIRINGS

Play begins at 7:30 a.m. CT. The Owls will tee off from hole No. 10 starting at 9:50 a.m. Rice will compete in groups with student-athletes from Louisiana Tech and Southern Miss. Monday and Tuesday's tee times and pairings will depend on results following the previous round.

UP NEXT

Following the Argent Financial Classic, the Owls will travel to Albuquerque, N.M., for the William H. Tucker Intercollegiate on Sept. 19-20.

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