Colorado University Athletics
Colorado
Rounds One & Two
Golfers Use Record Round To Take Lead At Air Force
September 12, 2015 | Men's Golf
USAFA, Colo. — The University of Colorado men's golf team had some early bad luck when one of its five designated scorers had to withdraw due to a back injury. But how the team responded turned out to be the story of the day here Saturday as the first two rounds were completed of the 47th Annual Gene Miranda Air Force Falcon Invitational.
In seventh after the first round with a 6-over par 294 score, all four remaining Buffaloes threw caution to the wind and scored in the 60s, the end result matching the school's singe round record of 17-under par 271 and taking over the top spot heading into Sunday's final round.
Colorado, ranked No. 46 nationally to open the season after its win in the Ballyneal Challenge earlier this week, has an 11-under 565 score, good for a three-shot lead over rival Colorado State (568); ironically the two will meet on the gridiron next Saturday in Denver.
Sophomore John Souza withdrew after four holes in the first round due to back spasms; he opened with a double bogey but managed to come back with three straight pars but just couldn't continue.
“We obviously feel bad for John and his back was really bothering him,” CU head coach Roy Edwards said. “I made the call that he shouldn't continue to play, it wasn't in his best interests to do so, even though he wanted to try. But he agreed with the decision, he could barely swing a club. He'll try and give it a go tomorrow, but we'll be ready for whatever is ahead of us if he can't play.”
Senior Philip Juel-Berg and junior Ethan Freeman led the way in the second round with 5-under par 67s, with freshman Ross Macdonald carding a 68 and junior Jeremy Paul a 69. They collectively made 21 birdies and 47 pars with just four bogeys the second time around the 7,443-yard, par-72 Eisenhower Blue Golf Course layout.
“It speaks to the character of the team,” Edwards said about the quartet's play. “There was a little added pressure, but they were focused on their own games and I don't think they spent a lot of time, if any, worrying that we were a man down. It was very exciting to see everybody shoot a good round when we needed it. We had a little bit of a rough first round overall, but the guys definitely responded in the afternoon, that's for sure.”
Juel-Berg is tied for the tournament lead with an 8-under 136 total, after he fired an opening round 69; he had nine birdies and 26 pars with just one bogey Saturday, hitting 31 of 36 greens-in-regulation while hitting over 80 percent of his fairways.
“It was a steady day,” Juel-Berg said. “I was really good off the tee, I didn't put in myself in any position where a high number could come into play. All in all, I was really solid and probably could have made a few more birdies, but I made some good four- and five-foot putts on these tricky greens for par that I felt good about. I had a lot of tap-in putts in the second round because I knew the greens were hard and sneaky fast. So you have to be smart, and I tried to make it a stress free round by putting myself in position to make a lot of those tap-ins when I was 10-15 feet away and leaving them just above the hole.”
Juel-Berg is in position to win his first major college tournament. “It means a lot to be in position for my first college win, but more important than that is being a senior, it's important to show the way for the freshmen and keep playing well. I played really well over the summer and shot a lot of low rounds, so I am happy to keep it going out there and make it easy on myself.”
Paul is within distance of the leaders after fashioning a 71-69—140 scorecard, as he is tied for sixth four shots off the pace. Freeman (143, -1) and Macdonald (146, +2) are tied for 15th and 29th, respectively. All three players scored eight birdies; the entire team had just two double bogeys over the two rounds.
Freshman Pierce Aichinger (74-73—147) and sophomore Kade Crossland (73-76—149) are playing here as individuals; they are not permitted to substitute for the injured Souza.
The Buffs will be paired with Colorado State, Wyoming and Weber State for the final round, going off the No. 1 tee starting at 8:24 a.m. CU is trying to win the Falcon Invitational for the third time in five years after finishing second a year ago.
|
BUFFALO INDIVIDUALS |
|
T1. |
69-67—136 |
|
|
T6. |
71-69—140 |
|
|
T15. |
76-67—143 |
|
|
T29. |
78-68—146 |
|
|
T38. |
74-73—147 |
|
|
T51. |
73-76—149 |
|
|
88. |
WD |
|
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS |
|
1. |
Philip Juel-Berg, Colorado |
69-67—136 |
|
1. |
Devon Purser, Weber State |
68-68—136 |
|
3. |
Frederik Dreier, UTEP |
68-70—138 |
|
4. |
Austin Morrison, W & M |
68-70—138 |
|
5. |
Antoine Rozner, UMKC |
70-69—139 |
|
TEAM STANDINGS |
|
1. |
COLORADO |
294-271—565 |
|
2. |
Colorado State |
286-282—568 |
|
3. |
Wyoming |
287-288—575 |
|
3. |
Weber State |
284-291—575 |
|
5. |
Texas-El Paso |
290-286—576 |
|
6. |
Utah State |
292-287—579 |
|
7. |
Nevada |
298-286—584 |
|
8. |
Northern Colorado |
286-299—585 |
|
8. |
William & Mary |
296-289—585 |
|
8. |
Missouri-Kansas City |
297-288—585 |
|
11. |
Utah |
295-292—587 |
|
12. |
Boise State |
301-288—589 |
|
13. |
Air Force |
300-291—591 |
|
14. |
Abilene Christian |
303-289—592 |
|
15. |
Southern Utah |
310-317—627 |
