Texas Lutheran University hosted 17 men’s golf teams from 15 colleges and universities last Monday and Tuesday, March 12-13, at Vaaler Creek Golf Club at Rockin’ J Ranch south of Blanco.

This is the second consecutive year the TLU Bulldogs have hosted the TLU Intercollegiate Invitational at Vaaler Creek, bringing players and coaches to Blanco to stay, shop, and eat.

Linda Sullivan with Best Western Plus Blanco Luxury Inn & Suites, where most of the teams stayed, said that about 200 people were in town for the event, and many stayed for longer than the two-day tournament because of the distance travelled and for practice before the event.

“This was really a big deal and a prime example of an event that is great for Blanco, the community, and area that I believe can really be nurtured and grown,” Sullivan added. “We at the hotel were thrilled to know this group was returning this year and actually have booked another tournament in April because of it. The coaches and players love the Hill Country and go away saying they want to come back!”

“We’re excited to be back at Vaaler Creek and excited about this 17-team field,” H.C. Tran, TLU’s head coach for men’s golf, told tlubulldogs.com. “Just talking to the coaches, I know that they are excited about the strength and diversity of the field. Including Texas, we will have seven different states represented in the tournament.”

In addition to TLU, the teams scheduled to play included Mississippi College, California Lutheran, Linfield (OR), Pacific Lutheran (WA), Concordia, Southwestern, McMurry, Hardin-Simmons, Schreiner, Mary Hardin-Baylor, LeTourneau, St. Norbert College (WI), Louisiana College, and Texas A&M International. Both Concordia and TLU had two teams in the tournament.

California Lutheran won the team championship with a final team score of 597, tlubulldogs.com reported.