MADISON, Miss. (4/23/25) – Jack Maxey claimed individual champion honors on a third playoff hole and the Arkansas State men’s golf team finished second in the stroke play portion of the Sun Belt Conference Men’s Golf Championship at Annandale Golf Club.

The individual medalist was crowned at the end of stroke play, which saw Maxey tied for first place with Louisiana’s Eli Ortega after both players shot a combined 6-under par 210. After the players were tied playing No. 18 and No. 10, the pair returned to the 18th tee for a third playoff hole. Maxey birdied while Ortega made par securing the individual crown. Maxey is A-State’s first individual conference champion since 1997 and only the second individual champion in program history after David Faught won in both 1994 and 1997.

A-State advances to the tournament semifinals for the fifth time since the league has used match play format to determine a team champion. It is the second consecutive match play appearance for the Red Wolves after taking the Sun Belt Conference Championship last season. A-State wrapped up stroke play with a 3-under par 275 to total 13-under par 851, one stroke shy of Coastal Carolina for the top spot. It is the second-best stroke play finish in any conference championship in program history, behind only the first-place finish in 2024. The Red Wolves also finished second in stroke play in the 1999 Sun Belt Conference Championship.

The top four teams advance to match play Thursday, and the Red Wolves (-13) will be the No. 2 seed and played third-seeded Georgia Southern (-8). Coastal Carolina (-14) is the top seed and will take on fourth-seeded Troy (-6). Lineups for both semifinal matches will be turned in at 6:30 a.m., and the matches are scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. The Red Wolves and Georgia Southern tee off on the 10th hole, while Coastal Carolina and Troy tee off on the first hole. Live coverage on ESPN+ begins at 10 a.m. The winners meet in the championship match in the afternoon.

Joining Maxey in the top five was Thomas Schmidt in a tie for third place. Schmidt finished up at 5-under par 211. Jake Wallis narrowly missed the top 10, tying for 11th after a 3-under par 69 Wednesday helped him finish at 2-under par 214 (72-73-69) overall. Chris Somerfield (+1) tied for 25th and Jake Lile (+5) was tied for 49th.

A-State’s 13-under par 851 is the second-lowest 54-hole total in a conference championship, behind only an 836 at the 2019 championship. Maxey’s total of 210 ranks fifth-lowest while Schmidt’s 211 is sixth and Wallis’ 214 ties for the ninth lowest.

2025 Sun Belt Conference Championship
Final Results
2 Arkansas State 278-288-285=851 (-13)
1 Jack Maxey 70-69-71=210 (-6)
3 Thomas Schmidt 64-75-72=211 (-5)
11 Jake Wallis 72-73-69=214 (-2)
25 Chris Somerfield 73-71-73=217 (+1)
49 Jake Lile 72-75-74=221 (+5)