RUSTON – After his top-5 finish at the Sea Best Invitational, Louisiana Tech's Niilo Maki-Petaja was named Conference USA Men's Golfer of the Week in an announcement made by the league office Thursday.
 
Playing at the famous TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, Maki-Petaja ended up tying for fourth as an individual in what was LA Tech's first event of the spring slate.
 
The Bulldog freshman shot at or under par in all three rounds (one of only two players to do so in the event), carding 70-69-70=209 (-1) while playing in a 15-team field that included seven top 100 teams.
 
In doing so, Maki-Petaja became the first LA Tech freshman since 2013 to register a top-5 finish at an event.  He also becomes just the fifth Bulldog in program history to receive a CUSA Golfer of the Week honor.
 
Maki-Petaja and the Bulldogs return to action on Feb. 12-13 as they head to Mobile, Alabama to take part in the Hal Williams Collegiate.
 
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