Western Kentucky’s men’s golf team turned in one of its best rounds in several years Tuesday, finishing third in a stout 16-team field at the Mobile Sports Authority Intercollegiate in Mobile, Ala.

The Hilltoppers shot a 6-under 858 total as a team across three rounds, which marked the first time they’ve broken par as a team since shooting 2 under at the Wyoming Cowboy Classic in April 2016. The 858 total was the team’s lowest since shooting 852 in the Sam Hall Intercollegiate to open the fall of 2016.

WKU shot a 9-under 279 Tuesday, with all four contributing scores under par.

That was the program’s lowest team score to par in head coach Phillip Hatchett’s tenure, which dates back to 2010, and the 279 was the team’s best single-round score since carding a 278 at the Dayton Flyer Invitational in October 2013.

Florida State won the team title with a commanding 30-under performance, while host South Alabama was second at eight strokes ahead of WKU. Among the teams the Hilltoppers outscored was 46th-ranked Kennesaw State.

WKU redshirt junior Billy Tom Sargent led the Hilltoppers with a career-low 206 (69-68-69) total, good enough for third place – just one stroke behind Florida State’s Harry Ellis and Jamie Li, and at least seven shots ahead of two top-50 golfers. Sargent’s second round 68 tied his season low.

Sargent was one of four Hilltoppers who finished in the top 20 individually, including junior Blake Smith, who turned in his best effort of the season.

Smith tied for 12th with a season-low 216 (73-71-72) total.

Junior Stuart Easton (75-69-74) and redshirt sophomore Linus Lo (74-71-73) each tied for 20th at 218. Easton’s second round 69 tied his career low, while Lo’s 54-hole tally was his best this season. Sophomore Tom Bevington tied for 67th at 230.

Nearby at the USA Individual Tournament, WKU freshman Chase Landrum tied for 11th with a three-round total of 218 (71-73-74) playing as an individual. That topped his previous best for 54 holes by nine strokes.

The top competition will continue for the Hilltoppers in the Seminole Intercollegiate on Feb. 24-25 in Tallahassee, Fla., hosted by this week’s 29th-ranked champion, Florida State.