Colorado University Athletics
Golfers In Fifth At Oregon Invitational
March 23, 2009 | Men's Golf
EUGENE, Ore. -- The University of Colorado men's golf team resumed spring action here Monday, and after two rounds of cold, wet play, stand in fifth place in the Oregon Duck Invitational.
No. 8 Washington owns a healthy seven stroke lead heading into the final round, as the Huskies rode the low team round of the meet, a 3-under first round effort, to a 581 team score (5-over). Oregon State is in second (588), followed by No. 56 Oregon (590), No. 29 Pepperdine, which had the best second round effort at 2-over (593), and No. 49 Colorado (595).
The Buffaloes were also in fifth place after posting a 10-over par 298 score for the morning round, shaving one stroke off that total in the second round.
The weather was a challenge for the teams, as play started with the temperature just 36 degrees; it warmed to 45 degrees my mid-afternoon, but 14 mile per hour winds put the wind chill factor at 38. Rain started falling in the afternoon and showers were intermittent the remainder of the day.
"I think we were ready for the weather just fine," head coach Roy Edwards said. "For whatever reason, we're just not playing that well, and we have to snap out of this funk. I really think we have a chance to be a great team, but it seems like we're just going through the motions. Every season has these little lulls in it, and we've been in it for about a month now. We need to snap out of it."
"We had a lot of wasted opportunities and wasted shots today, but I'm confident that the guys will get it back and that will happen at some point," Edwards continued. "I'd just rather it be sooner than later, and there's no reason we can't start in the final round here. We are easily in the hunt for second, and with a good-to-great day, could challenge for the top spot."
Senior Patrick Grady turned in a 76-70--146 scorecard for Monday's 36 holes (2-over), his second time around the track tied for the best afternoon score and one of just four under par for the round; he is tied for 11th in the medalist race on the 7,033-yard, par-72 Eugene Country Club course. After opening his afternoon round with a pair of birdies, he scored three bogeys over an eight-hole stretch before rebounding to play the last eight holes of the day at 3-under. Grady scored the second most birdies (six) on the day for the Buffs, along with 23 pars with six bogeys and a double.
"Pat played solid," Edwards noted. "He actually played well in the morning, but he had a 76 and should have had a 70 or even a 69. But he really focused in and hit some really good shots his last eight holes in playing those three-under."
Freshman Johnny Widmer is tied for 19th after putting a 73-75--148 (4-over) into the books. He played steady most of the day, recording a team-best seven birdies with 19 pars, against nine bogeys and one double. The only real negative for the CU frosh was that he closed both round with a late bogey after birdying the par-5 eighth hole, otherwise he'd be right there with Grady; he started each round on No. 11.
Junior Luke Symons was 7-over for the first two rounds, as he logged 73 and 78 scores into the books to stand tied for 32nd. He had three birdies, 24 pars, eight bogeys and a double bogey Monday.
Senior Derek Tolan scored a pair of 76s for a 152 total to tie for 36th. He had a team-best 25 pars but just couldn't get many birdie putts to fall, scoring just two for the day. Like Symons, he also had eight bogeys and a double, the latter coming on a par-3, as he will admit, quite often his nemesis.
Rounding out the action for CU was freshman Kevin Kring, who opened with an 83 but bounced back with a 76 for a 159 total, tying him for 69th. After a morning round that saw him score a single birdie and just nine pars against five bogeys, two doubles and a triple, he settled down and had two birdies, 10 pars and six bogeys his second time around the Eugene CC track.
Oregon's Jack Dukeminier is the individual leader through two rounds with a 69-73--142 effort, or 2-under par, leading Washington's Nick Taylor by a stroke. Oregon actually has five players in the top nine on the leaderboard, but three of them, including Dukeminier, are playing as individuals. Had all been active, the Ducks would be ahead by eight.
The final round of the tournament is set for Tuesday morning (9 a.m. mountain shotgun). This is the first of three tournaments in as many weeks for the Buffs, all leading up to next month's Big 12 Championships.
BUFFALO INDIVIDUALS
T11. Patrick Grady.................................. 76-70--146
T19. Johnny Widmer................................ 73-75--148
T32. Luke Symons.................................. 73-78--151
T36. Derek Tolan.................................... 76-76--152
T69. Kevin Kring..................................... 83-76--159
TOP 5 INDIVIDUALS
1. Jack Dukeminier, Oregon.................. 69-73--142
2. Nick Taylor, Washington.................. 70-73--143
3. Josh Anderson, Pepperdine............... 72-72--144
3. Andrew Putman, Pepperdine............. 74-70--144
3. John Paton, Oregon.......................... 70-74--144
TEAM SCORES
1. Washington................................. 285-296--581
2. Oregon State............................... 292-296--588
3. Oregon....................................... 286-304--590
4. Pepperdine................................. 303-290--593
5. COLORADO............................... 298-297--595
6. Washington State........................ 291-309--600
6. Alabama-Birmingham.................. 300-300--600
8. Idaho......................................... 299-304--603
8. UC-Davis.................................... 300-303--603
10. St. Mary's.................................. 304-309--613
11. Portland..................................... 313-301--614
12. Pacific....................................... 307-308--615
12. Utah........................................... 311-304--615
