Colorado University Athletics
Men's Golfers Fourth At Wyoming Cowboy Classic
April 09, 2012 | Men's Golf
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The University of Colorado men's golf team, enjoying one of its best days of the year which included the best single round score in school history, stands in fourth place through two rounds of the 10th Annual Wyoming Cowboy Classic.
San Diego and Kansas State are tied for the team lead with 15-under par 545 team scores, with Colorado State third at 547 and Colorado fourth with 552.
Colorado was in second after the first round, when the Buffaloes put a school-record 270 into the books, the 10-under par score on the 7,133-yard, par-70 Talking Stick North Golf Club course breaking a 33-year old school record. CU's previous best team score for a single round on a par-70 layout had been a 9-under 271 in the first round of the 1979 Oklahoma City All-College Golf Classic. A little-known junior at the time, future U.S. Open champion Steve Jones, led the Buffs in that effort with a 4-under 66.
School records for a single round are 272 (minus-16) on a par-72 course and 275 (9-under) on a par-71 configuration. The 270 tied for the fourth best round in tournament history, with Kansas State's first round leading tally of 268 tying for second best. A tee marker snafu with the grounds staff did play a factor, as the coaches estimated the course playing to less than 6,500 yards in the first round before things were corrected.
This time around, junior Beau Schoolcraft paved the way with a 6-under 64 (33-31), the fifth time in school history a player shot under 65, the first time since then-sophomore Kevin Kring carded an 8-under 64 in the 2009 Air Force Falcon Invitational. Ed McGlasson owns the lone 63 in school history, in the 2005 PING-Arizona Intercollegiate, and he also owns one of the four rounds of 64; John Nyuli has the other, the first Buff to crack the 65 barrier with a 6-under 64 in the 1990 Wyoming Red Jacoby Invitational.
Schoolcraft, who an eagle and seven birdies in his morning round, came back with a 67 in the afternoon for a 9-under 131, tying him for second just three shots behind Colorado State's Mike Wuertz, who put up a pair of 64s for a 128 total. The 131 gross score is the best 36-hole total in CU annals, besting 132 done by John Lindberg in 1987 and then matched by Schoolcraft in his first tournament as a Buff last September, the CU-Mark Simpson Invitational. His 11 birdies on Monday were tied for the second most in the 122-man field.
Just eight days ago, freshman David Oraee had his worst outing of the season, finishing two spots out of last in being 29-over par at the U.S. Intercollegiate in Palo Alto. But fast forward to Monday and how did the true frosh from Greeley respond? He tied the CU record for the low gross score by a freshman with a 67, previously done by Matt Zions, Kane Webber and Kring. Unfortunately, Oraee couldn't keep it going and recorded a 79 the second time around the Talking Stick track, and his 146 total has him tied for 87th in the field.
Senior Kevin Kring and junior Jason Burstyn are tied for 44th with 1-over 141 scores. Kring, the team leader in stroke average (72.67) had his eighth and ninth rounds in a row between 70 and 73; he opened with an even-par 70 by scoring par on all 18 holes. He recorded a 1-over 71 in the second round, and his 29 pars are tied for third most in the meet. Burstyn had a 1-under 69 the first time around the course, and came back with a 2-over 72.
Junior Derek Fribbs is tied for 51st after a fashioning a 70-72-142 scorecard through 36 holes. He and Kring remained tied for the most rounds of par or better with 12, though Fribbs has played 26 rounds and Kring 29.
Colorado's five scorers had 29 birdies and 124 pars in the first two rounds, ranking seventh and third, respectively, for the day.
Freshman John Ahern is playing here as an individual, and he is tied for 116th with a 74-77-151 scorecard, the 4-over morning effort his best collegiate gross score in five rounds this season.
"We played really well as an entire team in the first round, throwing out a 70 (the fifth-highest score, as the four lowest count toward the team total)," head coach Roy Edwards said. "Beau was spectacular with a 64 and David playing really solid with his 67. Other than Beau, we struggled a bit in the afternoon but did a really good job of managing the round to shoot 2-over. The guys are in good spirits and excited about going out tomorrow with a chance to play well. If we go out and play as relaxed and confident as possible we will do well."
"Beau was playing well and having fun out there. When he is relaxed and having fun, usually good things happen for him. That certainly was the case today."
This is the last tune-up for the Buffaloes ahead of the Pac-12 Conference Championships, which are later this month (April 27-29 in Corvallis, Ore.). Equally as important is the fact that with 23 Division I teams competing here, a high finish for the Buffaloes will improve their record of 70-65-4 against D-I schools this year; to be eligible for the postseason, schools must have at least a .500 record or better against Division I competition.
The third and final round of the tournament is Tuesday and is set for an 8:30 a.m. (MST) shotgun start.
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BUFFALO INDIVIDUALS (*-playing individually) |
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T2. |
64-67--131 |
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T44. |
70-71--141 |
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T44. |
69-72--141 |
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T51. |
70-72--142 |
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T87. |
67-79--146 |
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T116. |
74-77--151 |
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TOP 5 INDIVIDUALS |
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1. |
Mike Wuertz, Colorado State |
64-64--128 |
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T2. |
Beau Schoolcraft, Colorado |
64-67--131 |
|
T2. |
Ben Juffer, Kansas State |
65-66--131 |
|
T4. |
Kevin Lucas, Nevada |
67-66--133 |
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T4. |
Rafael Becker, Wichita State |
67-66--133 |
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TEAM STANDINGS |
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T1. |
San Diego |
272-273--545 |
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T1. |
Kansas State |
268-277--545 |
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3. |
Colorado State |
277-270--547 |
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4. |
Colorado |
270-282--552 |
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5. |
Arizona |
274-281--555 |
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6. |
Texas Tech |
275-281--556 |
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T7. |
Wyoming |
285-274--559 |
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T8. |
Gonzaga |
277-282--559 |
|
T9. |
Air Force |
281-280--561 |
|
T9. |
Nevada |
280-281--561 |
|
T9. |
Kansas |
280-281--561 |
|
T12. |
Arizona State |
281-281--562 |
|
T12. |
Boise State |
282-280--562 |
|
14. |
Old Dominion |
275-289--564 |
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15. |
Wichita State |
279-296--565 |
|
16. |
Northern Colorado |
275-292--567 |
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17. |
New Mexico State |
277-291--568 |
|
18. |
UC-Davis |
283-286--569 |
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19. |
UC-Santa Barbara |
292-278--570 |
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20. |
Weber State |
287-288--575 |
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21. |
Utah State |
287-289--576 |
|
22. |
Santa Clara |
282-301--583 |
|
23. |
CSU-Northridge |
290-295--585 |
