Colorado University Athletics
Saturday, September 9
Scottsdale, Ariz.
All Day
Colorado
vs
Second Round
Brandon Knight broke the record by three strokes for the best first college tournament by a Buffalo.
Photo by: CUBuffs.com
Golfers Slip Into 10th; Knight Sets School Record
September 09, 2023 | Men's Golf
The Pleasanton, Calif. freshman has best opening collegiate event in school history
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The University of Colorado men's golf team improved its team score by two-fold here Saturday but couldn't move up the standings, slipping two notches into 10th place after two rounds of the Mirabel Maui Jim Intercollegiate.
Auburn, ranked No. 6 in the preseason Bushnell/GCAA Coaches poll, continued to lead, owning a team score of 41-under par 527. Despite that effort, its only good for a two-shot lead over No. 30 San Diego State (529), with Fresno State (536) and SMU in striking distance (537). No. 28 Ohio Stat rounded out the top five, with a 26-under 542 score.
The Buffaloes doubled their Friday performance of 5-under par (279) with a 10-under 274, thus enter the final round with a 15-under total of 553.
All five of CU's players in the main event here are juniors; a sidebar event was the Maui Jim Individual, in which two Buffs competed and was completed with 36 holes on Saturday.
Justin Biwer continues to lead the Buffaloes through 36 holes, as he recorded a second straight 4-under 67 on the 7,147-yard, par-71 Mirabel Club course for an 8-under 134 score that has him tied for 14th. He had seven birdies and eight pars Saturday with three bogeys, and for the second straight round played the par-4s and par-5s at 2-under and the par-3's even. He started the meet with 22 straight holes of par or better before his first bogey.
Dylan McDermott matched Biwer's 67 and climbed 16 spots in the standings into 28th with a 4-under 138 score. He had a team-high eight birdies with six pars and four bogeys the second time around Mirabel. He birdied all three par-5 holes and was also 1-under on the par-3s, playing the par-4s even.
Tucker Clark recorded a 3-under 68, giving him a 3-under 139 total and in a tie for 36th place. He had six birdies and nine pars with three bogeys on the day, which included a run of four birdies over five holes (Nos. 16 through 2). He played the par-4s and 5s at 2-under and was 1-over on the par-3s.
Frederik Eisenbeis fashioned a 2-over 72, as he is tied for 52nd with an even 152 overall total. He had three birdies and 10 pars opposite five birdies, consistent across the board (1-under on the par-4s, even on the par-5s and 1-over on the par-3s).
Jack Holland is in 74th after carding a 9-over 80, giving him an 11-over total 153 through two rounds. He had 11 pars against six bogeys and a triple Saturday; he played the par-3s and par-5s even, with all his struggles on par-4 layouts.
San Diego State's Justin Hastings maintained his first round lead, adding a 65 after an opening 62 for a 15-under 127 score; that leads teammate Shea Lague by one stroke.
In the individual event, sophomore Hunter Swanson placed fifth, as he recorded rounds of 65 and 72 Saturday on the 6,845-yard, par-72 Legend Trail Golf Club course; he was in the lead for a short time and flirted with it most of the day until one bad stretch cost him a higher finish. Still, he ended with an 11-under par 205 score, besting his previous 54-hold best of 209 in last year's CSU Ram Masters Invitational. Swanson had an eagle, 14 birdies and 36 pars, with just two bogeys and a triple, playing the par-5s the best at 13-under; he most likely set a school record as from the No. 2 hole in round one through No. 7 in round three, he had 42 consecutive holes of par or better (one eagle, 13 birdies).
But CU's story of the day was true freshman Brandon Knight, who in his first collegiate event, made his mark in the Buffalo record book. With rounds of 70 and 67 he finished in a tie for sixth with a 10-under par 206 total, both the best gross score and well as score in relation to par for a Buffalo playing in college for the first time.
He also showed some resiliency, as he had one double bogey on the weekend, on the par-5 16th in the second round, but bounced right back to eagle the next hole, the par-5 17th. For the event, he had an eagle, 15 birdies and 32 pars opposite just five bogeys and that one double. At one point he had 21 straight holes of par or better between the first and second rounds and finished the meet with 16 in succession, including birdies on his last three holes. He played the par-5s at 7-under, the par-4s at 3-under and the short ones even.
"It's awesome, pretty cool, actually really cool and it's an honor," Knight said when told of his accomplishment. "I hit the ball really well, especially off the tee, and only hit one or two bad drives all week – I kept it out of the desert (which borders most of the fairways). I made a lot of putts in round one, but maybe was more average today. If I had a hot putter, I might have shot 10 or 11 under, but five under was still really good."
On Friday, the defending California state high school champion posted just the third score in the 60s for a first collegiate round in CU history, which also was the second-best in relation to par with a 3-under 69 score. His final round 67 tied the fourth-best single round within a first-ever college tournament as well.
Arizona State's Fifa Laopakdee claimed the medalist honor with a 15-under 201, as he finished up with rounds of 64 and 67 to beat three others by three strokes.
Auburn, ranked No. 6 in the preseason Bushnell/GCAA Coaches poll, continued to lead, owning a team score of 41-under par 527. Despite that effort, its only good for a two-shot lead over No. 30 San Diego State (529), with Fresno State (536) and SMU in striking distance (537). No. 28 Ohio Stat rounded out the top five, with a 26-under 542 score.
The Buffaloes doubled their Friday performance of 5-under par (279) with a 10-under 274, thus enter the final round with a 15-under total of 553.
All five of CU's players in the main event here are juniors; a sidebar event was the Maui Jim Individual, in which two Buffs competed and was completed with 36 holes on Saturday.
Justin Biwer continues to lead the Buffaloes through 36 holes, as he recorded a second straight 4-under 67 on the 7,147-yard, par-71 Mirabel Club course for an 8-under 134 score that has him tied for 14th. He had seven birdies and eight pars Saturday with three bogeys, and for the second straight round played the par-4s and par-5s at 2-under and the par-3's even. He started the meet with 22 straight holes of par or better before his first bogey.
Dylan McDermott matched Biwer's 67 and climbed 16 spots in the standings into 28th with a 4-under 138 score. He had a team-high eight birdies with six pars and four bogeys the second time around Mirabel. He birdied all three par-5 holes and was also 1-under on the par-3s, playing the par-4s even.
Tucker Clark recorded a 3-under 68, giving him a 3-under 139 total and in a tie for 36th place. He had six birdies and nine pars with three bogeys on the day, which included a run of four birdies over five holes (Nos. 16 through 2). He played the par-4s and 5s at 2-under and was 1-over on the par-3s.
Frederik Eisenbeis fashioned a 2-over 72, as he is tied for 52nd with an even 152 overall total. He had three birdies and 10 pars opposite five birdies, consistent across the board (1-under on the par-4s, even on the par-5s and 1-over on the par-3s).
Jack Holland is in 74th after carding a 9-over 80, giving him an 11-over total 153 through two rounds. He had 11 pars against six bogeys and a triple Saturday; he played the par-3s and par-5s even, with all his struggles on par-4 layouts.
San Diego State's Justin Hastings maintained his first round lead, adding a 65 after an opening 62 for a 15-under 127 score; that leads teammate Shea Lague by one stroke.
In the individual event, sophomore Hunter Swanson placed fifth, as he recorded rounds of 65 and 72 Saturday on the 6,845-yard, par-72 Legend Trail Golf Club course; he was in the lead for a short time and flirted with it most of the day until one bad stretch cost him a higher finish. Still, he ended with an 11-under par 205 score, besting his previous 54-hold best of 209 in last year's CSU Ram Masters Invitational. Swanson had an eagle, 14 birdies and 36 pars, with just two bogeys and a triple, playing the par-5s the best at 13-under; he most likely set a school record as from the No. 2 hole in round one through No. 7 in round three, he had 42 consecutive holes of par or better (one eagle, 13 birdies).
But CU's story of the day was true freshman Brandon Knight, who in his first collegiate event, made his mark in the Buffalo record book. With rounds of 70 and 67 he finished in a tie for sixth with a 10-under par 206 total, both the best gross score and well as score in relation to par for a Buffalo playing in college for the first time.
He also showed some resiliency, as he had one double bogey on the weekend, on the par-5 16th in the second round, but bounced right back to eagle the next hole, the par-5 17th. For the event, he had an eagle, 15 birdies and 32 pars opposite just five bogeys and that one double. At one point he had 21 straight holes of par or better between the first and second rounds and finished the meet with 16 in succession, including birdies on his last three holes. He played the par-5s at 7-under, the par-4s at 3-under and the short ones even.
"It's awesome, pretty cool, actually really cool and it's an honor," Knight said when told of his accomplishment. "I hit the ball really well, especially off the tee, and only hit one or two bad drives all week – I kept it out of the desert (which borders most of the fairways). I made a lot of putts in round one, but maybe was more average today. If I had a hot putter, I might have shot 10 or 11 under, but five under was still really good."
On Friday, the defending California state high school champion posted just the third score in the 60s for a first collegiate round in CU history, which also was the second-best in relation to par with a 3-under 69 score. His final round 67 tied the fourth-best single round within a first-ever college tournament as well.
Arizona State's Fifa Laopakdee claimed the medalist honor with a 15-under 201, as he finished up with rounds of 64 and 67 to beat three others by three strokes.
Low Round, First Major Collegiate Tournament
65 (-5), Jonathan Kaye, Wyoming Invitational at Laramie, Sept. 11 1990 (third round);
65 (-7), Jack Hughes, AFA Miranda Individual at USAFA, Sept. 11, 2021 (second round);
66 (-6), Dylan McDermott, Air Force Miranda Invitational, Sept. 10, 2021 (second round);
67 (-5), Sebastian Heisele, DU-Ron Moore Invitational, Sept. 15, 2008 (first round);
67 (-5), Brandon Knight, Maui Jim Individual at Scottsdale, Ariz., Sept. 9, 2023 (third round);
67 (-3), Hunter Swanson, Notre Dame Fighting Irish Classic, Sept. 4, 2022 (second round).
65 (-5), Jonathan Kaye, Wyoming Invitational at Laramie, Sept. 11 1990 (third round);
65 (-7), Jack Hughes, AFA Miranda Individual at USAFA, Sept. 11, 2021 (second round);
66 (-6), Dylan McDermott, Air Force Miranda Invitational, Sept. 10, 2021 (second round);
67 (-5), Sebastian Heisele, DU-Ron Moore Invitational, Sept. 15, 2008 (first round);
67 (-5), Brandon Knight, Maui Jim Individual at Scottsdale, Ariz., Sept. 9, 2023 (third round);
67 (-3), Hunter Swanson, Notre Dame Fighting Irish Classic, Sept. 4, 2022 (second round).
Low Score, First Major Collegiate Tournament (54 holes)
206 (-10), Brandon Knight, Maui Jim Individual at Scottsdale, Ariz., Sept. 8-9, 2023 (69-70-67—206)
209 (-7), Jack Hughes, AFA Miranda Individual at USAFA, Colo., Sept. 10-12, 2021 (74-65-70)
211 (+1), Hunter Swanson, Notre Dame Fighting Irish Classic at South Bend, Sept. 4-5, 2022 (71-67-73)
212 (-4), Dylan McDermott, AFA Miranda Invitational at USAFA, Colo., Sept. 10-12, 2021 (77-66-69)
213 (-3), Justin Biwer, AFA Miranda Invitational at USAFA, Colo., Sept. 10-12, 2021 (73-71-69)
206 (-10), Brandon Knight, Maui Jim Individual at Scottsdale, Ariz., Sept. 8-9, 2023 (69-70-67—206)
209 (-7), Jack Hughes, AFA Miranda Individual at USAFA, Colo., Sept. 10-12, 2021 (74-65-70)
211 (+1), Hunter Swanson, Notre Dame Fighting Irish Classic at South Bend, Sept. 4-5, 2022 (71-67-73)
212 (-4), Dylan McDermott, AFA Miranda Invitational at USAFA, Colo., Sept. 10-12, 2021 (77-66-69)
213 (-3), Justin Biwer, AFA Miranda Invitational at USAFA, Colo., Sept. 10-12, 2021 (73-71-69)
"Another good round from Justin, and Tucker and Dylan were good as well," CU head coach Roy Edwards said. "But we needed to finish a bit better. We are doing a lot of really good things but have just made too many mistakes. We are expecting a good round tomorrow. Hunter and Brandon both with really good events. That was a strong individual field at Legend Trail and that should be a great springboard for them into the rest of the fall.
"And for Brandon to break a school record like that – and do it by three strokes – with so many great players in CU history is a tremendous accomplishment for him."
The third and final round is Sunday, with Colorado to be paired with UNLV and New Mexico, starting off the No. 10 tee at 8:30 a.m. mountain time.
NOTES: The average score through two rounds in the Mirabel event is 69.48 (69.93 on Friday,69.03 on Saturday); 51 players are under par and another eight are in at even after 36 holes … In the individual event, the average score for 105 rounds was 71.25, as 22 players finished under par and another two even … The seven Buffaloes here in Arizona have combined for two eagles, 68 birdies and 177 pars opposite 36 bogeys and three doubles and two triples over 288 holes … McDermott's 67 is a team-leading 29th for his career; Biwer's 67 is his team-best 42nd subpar round (23 in the 60s) … CU's current score in relation to par – 15-under – if remains the same or not improved of would be the fourth-best effort in a season opener, behind a 24-under score in the 2001 Mark Simpson-CU Invitational, the 22-under in the 2014 and 21-under in the 2017 Air Force Miranda Invitationals.
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