Westchester, Ill. – Senior Tyler Jones posted Western Carolina's best score of the final round on Tuesday, climbing 10 spots on the leaderboard as the Catamounts wrapped play at the Highlands Invitational presented by Turtleson.
 
Jones closed with a 1-over-par 73, matching his opening-round score to finish tied for 32nd overall at 6-over-par 222. However, it was junior Connor Warren who paced the Catamounts at the tournament, carding a 54-hole score of 5-over-par 221 to finish tied for 30th.
 
The strong finish capped an exceptionally busy stretch for Jones, who has logged eight competitive rounds since Sept. 13, including two as an exempt amateur in the Biltmore Championship Asheville PGA TOUR event.
 
Jones countered five bogeys with four birdies on Tuesday, including a birdie on his final hole of the tournament. Warren also closed with a birdie, recording four on the day despite carding a second-consecutive round of 4-over-par 76.
 
Connor Williams and Jace Butcher each turned in final-round scores of 3-over-par 75. Williams climbed four spots into a tie for 48th place with a 54-hole total of 225, while Butcher's round included three birdies as he finished 71st overall.
 
Andrew Korytoski completed the Catamount scoring lineup, posting his best round of the week with a final-round 76 to place 66th overall.
 
Jones and Warren shared the team lead with 10 birdies apiece across the 54-hole event, while Williams added nine.
 
Tournament host ETSU held off a late charge from Wake Forest to claim the team championship by a single stroke. The Buccaneers finished at 21-under-par 843, while the Demon Deacons surged with a tournament-best 19-under-par team round on Tuesday to finish at 20-under 844. Eastern Michigan placed third at 861, followed by Toledo in fourth at 871, while Coastal Carolina and Maryland shared fifth at 874.
 
ETSU's Erik Tjamberg earned medalist honors at 11-under-par 202, finishing three strokes clear of Wake Forest's Jorge Hao. Eastern Michigan's Arsit Areephun and ETSU's Veigar Heidarsson tied for third at 209.
 
Western Carolina returns to action next week, remaining in the Midwest for the Badger Invitational, hosted by Wisconsin at University Ridge Golf Course in Madison, Wis. The 54-hole event is scheduled for Sept. 27-29 and serves as the penultimate tournament of the fall season.
 
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10 – Western Carolina – 297 – 303 – 299 = 899 (+35)
T30 – Connor Warren – 69-76-76 = 221 (+5)
T32 – Tyler Jones – 73-76-73 = 222 (+6)
T48 – Connor Williams – 77-73-75 = 225 (+9)
66 – Andrew Korytoski – 78-78-76 = 232 (+16)
71 – Jace Butcher – 80-83-75 = 238 (+22)