Colorado University Athletics
Golfers Slip A Notch Into 12th In Battle At The Beach
February 15, 2010 | Men's Golf
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. -- The University of Colorado men's golf team improved four strokes over its team score in the first round, but it wasn't enough as the Buffaloes slipped one notch Monday into 12th place after two rounds of the inaugural Battle At The Beach.
No. 24 Oregon State maintained its first round lead of one shot, despite shooting seven strokes higher with a 355 team score Monday. The Beavers have a 9-under par 701 team score entering the final round, with No. 6 Washington moving from fourth into second with a 351 in the second round for a 704 total. Co-host and No. 14 UCLA (707), No. 48 Arkansas (710) and Texas-Arlington (715) round out the top five in the 14-team field, which includes eight of the nation's top 50 programs.
Colorado, ranked No. 83, shot a 365 (10-over par) to go with a 369 first round effort, for a 734 total, good for 12th place. This tournament is unique in the sense that it is one of the few that has five players scoring for each team instead of the usual four, and also that the schools play in foursomes with just one other team, thus each group features two teammates.
Senior Justin Bardgett turned in CU's best round here in two days, recording a two-under 69, giving him a 36-hole total of 142, or even par, on the 6,945-yard, par-71 Ocean North Course at Pelican Hill Golf Club. That has him tied for 20th in the individual race. Two-over at the turn after seven pars and two bogeys on the front nine, he birdied Nos. 11 and 12, and thanks to a great approach shot to within three feet, he scored an eagle on No. 17. It all added up to a backside 31, tied for the lowest nine hole score in the field for the week.
Sophomore Kevin Kring and recorded an even-par 71, giving him a 3-over 145 total (tied for 36th). He turned in another consistent round, with three birdies, 13 pars, a bogey and a double bogey; 30 of his 36 holes here he has shot par or better.
"We had too many big numbers early in the round," CU head coach Roy Edwards said. "We did finish well again, it's just been unexplainable with the double bogeys; all should be bogeys at worst. The way we finished the day, actually the last two days, we feel we're ready for a good round tomorrow."
The Buffs played the last three holes Sunday collectively at 2-under, and the last four Monday at 3-under, reversing a trend of poor finishes in the spring opener two weeks ago in Hawai'i.
The two round stats prove Edwards' correct; Colorado is the only school with three or more players with 25 or more pars, and only first place Oregon State matched the Buffaloes with four players with 24 or more. Three teams have players with 28 or more holes of par or better, CU among them (30 by Bardgett and Kring, 28 from Heisele).
"I was particularly proud of Justin, he manufactured a good round," Edwards added. "He was a couple of over and getting impatient, but then calmed down, kept improving, made a couple of putts and was rewarded with an eagle for his perseverance. He hit a 2-iron to three feet (on No. 17), just an outstanding shot, as it's really hard to get it close. I'd be surprised if there are many if any other eagles on that hole (a par-5, 558 yard layout)." There was one other eagle on the hole in the second round, but none on Sunday, thus it's been eagled only twice in 172 tries over the two days.
Sophomore Sebastian Heisele and redshirt frosh Jason Burstyn are both tied for 57th, with 8-over 150 totals through two rounds. Burstyn shot a 76 Monday on the strength of two birdies, 10 pars, five bogeys and a double, playing the last 10 holes at 1-over after opening 4-over through eight. Heisele had 12 pars but only one birdie to counter three bogeys and two doubles in recording a second round 77.
Junior Michael Imperato and freshman Derek Fribbs are tied for 65th with 9-over 151 scorecards, with Imperato shaving five strokes off his first trip around the Ocean North 18 with a 2-over 73. He had a team-best four birdies Monday, with nine pars, four bogeys and a double; he opened and closed strong after playing a nine hole stretch (Nos. 5 through 13) at 4-over. Fribbs, who had just six pars but did score four birdies in round one, bounced back with a team-high 14 pars, but was undone by a double and a triple bogey on the front nine; he was 5-over after eight and played even the rest of the way in to shoot 76.
"We're playing an extremely difficult schedule this year, and it's what about what we shoot and who we beat, not so much where we finish," Edwards said. "There are a lot of top teams in the country here, but regardless, we still need to control those high numbers. That's on us. We're just a few mental errors away from being in front of several of these teams, we just have to learn to overcome them and that will come with experience."
Washington's Chris Williams moved into the individual lead, as he put a pristine 65 into the books Monday for an 8-under 134 total, good for a two-shot lead. Williams had six birdies and 12 pars, with 10 birdies and just two bogeys through 36 holes, the main reason he secured the top spot.
Tuesday's final round will feature a shotgun start at 9:30 a.m. (MST). The Buffs will again be paired with No. 13 Tennessee, as the two were also grouped together Monday.
BUFFALO INDIVIDUALS
T20. Justin Bardgett............................. 73-69--142
T36. Kevin Kring................................... 74-71--145
T57. Jason Burstyn............................... 74-76--150
T57. Sebastian Heisele......................... 73-77--150
T65. Derek Fribbs.................................. 75-76--151
T65. Michael Imperato.......................... 78-73--151
TOP 5 INDIVIDUALS
1. Chris Williams, Washington ........... 69-65--134
2. Mike Barry, Oregon State.................. 66-70--136
3. Diego Velasquez, Oregon State........ 66-71--137
3. Austin Graham, UC-Davis................. 68-69--137
5. Colin Featherstone, San Diego St..... 68-70--138
TEAM SCORES
1. Oregon State............................. 348-355--703
2. Washington.............................. 353-351--704
3. UCLA......................................... 354-353--707
4. Arkansas................................... 349-361--710
5. Texas-Arlington....................... 364-351--715
6. San Diego State....................... 352-367--719
7. Arizona State............................ 359-363--722
7. Colorado State........................... 361-361--722
9. Long Beach State..................... 358-369--727
10. Notre Dame............................... 366-364--730
11. Tennessee................................. 371-360--731
12. COLORADO........................... 369-365--734
13. San Francisco........................... 374-368--741
14. UC-Davis................................... 375-368--743
