Colorado University Athletics
Tuesday, February 20
Palm Desert, Calif.
All Day
Colorado
vs
Second Round
Photo by: CUBuffs.com
Men's Golfers Win Wyoming Desert Match Play Title
February 20, 2024 | Men's Golf
Colorado defeats CSU-Fullerton to claim crown
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — The third time was the charm for the University of Colorado men's golf team in the Wyoming Desert Match Play, as the Buffaloes emerged victorious here Tuesday in the third annual event.
Colorado, the No. 2 seed, defeated top-seed Cal State Fullerton in a very competitive match, 4½-1½, on the 7,376-yard, par-72 Players Course at the Indian Wells Golf Resort. It was a bit closer than the final score indicated, as the Titans, who trailed most of the front nine and into the back, briefly held a 3-2-1 lead for a time before the Buffaloes closed strong.
The Buffaloes finished fifth in 2022 and then second last year, taking the event in their third try. CU has now won seven of nine matches in the unique event, as most college tournaments are stroke play.
"An awesome job by the guys," CU head coach Roy Edwards said. "We jumped out front early and then got behind after a mid-round run from Fullerton. The guys quickly rebounded with a bunch of won holes to close it out. It was really impressive by all six guys. Fullerton is a really good team and had been undefeated this spring, not having lost to anyone since October, so we knew we would have to play well.
"Tournament wins are special and this one is extra special being a match play, team-only win," Edwards added. "Everyone had a hand in the victory, and all should be excited and proud. We have a motivated and determined group and it certainly showed this week."
Freshman Brandon Knight was one of three Buffaloes to win all three matches, but turned in the most dominant performance of the trio. He defeated Matthew Schafer, 4 & 2, to give the Buffs a 1-0 lead Tuesday, winning six holes, dropping just two and tying eight. After both opened with pars on No. 1, Knight won the second hole with a par when Schafer bogeyed and never trailed from then on. Knight birdied the par-5 7th and parred No. 8 when Schafer again bogeyed to put some distance between them. Up three holes with three to play, he birded the par-4 16th to seal the victory.
For the three matches overall, Knight won 17 holes and tied 24 while losing only five. That worked to a most impressive win-tie percentage of 89 percent. And of the five holes he lost, only two were due to bogeys, the only two he made all week.
Junior Tucker Clark defeated Trevor McNary, 2 & 1; after falling behind early and trailing most of the front nine, he pulled even when he parred the par-5 9th and McNary bogeyed. Clark took his first lead with a birdie on No. 10, but McNary rallied to go up by one through 14. Clark then went birdie-birdie-par to win the next three holes and clinch the match. He won six holes and tied seven, dropping four, and for the three matches, he won 20, tied 18 and lost 12 as he wrapped a 3-0 record over the two days.
Junior Dylan McDermott defeated Russel Howlett, also 2 & 1, to secure CU's third win on the day. He spotted the Titan a one-hold edge when Howlett birdied No. 1, but tied the match immediately and went up by two after winning holes 2 through 4 by going par-birdie-birdie. McDermott built a three-hole advantage through six, but Howlett fought back to even things up through 13. Birdies on the par-5 14th and on the par-4 16th thrust McDermott back ahead by two, and when both parred the par-3 17th, McDermott won for the third time in two days. Just like Clark, on Tuesday he won six holes and tied seven, dropping four; overall, he won 19 holes, tied 17 and ost just nine times.
Junior Justin Biwer won his match over Tegan Andrews, as he was 2 up with two to play, enabling the overall match to be called in CU's favor, as it guaranteed the Buffs a half-point when leading, 3-0. He got off to a hot start, going birdie-par-birdie to win the first three holes. Andrews twice pulled back to within one, but each time Biwer came back to win the next hole to keep the match firmly in his control. He won five holes, tied eight and lost three Tuesday, wrapping with 14 holes won and 23 tied, losing just 8.
Sophomore Hunter Swanson lost his match against Garret Boe, who was 1-up through 16 holes when the match was called in favor of CU. He opened with a birdie to take an immediate lead, but Boe tied him on the next hole; Swanson then won the third before they both tied the next three. Boe caught him on No. 7 with a birdie, his first of four holes he won in a row. Swanson battled back, winning three of the next four holes and stood tied through 14. Boe reclaimed the lead with a birdie on No. 15; the two parred No. 16 before the match was called. Overall, Swanson won 19 holes, tied 19 and lost just eight here this week (five, five and six, respectively, Tuesday).
Junior Freddy Eisenbeis tied a second time here, this time against CSU-F's Howard Yoon. He trailed most of the match from the start when Yoon birdied No. 1, but was never down by more than two holes. Tied through six, Yoon won the next two to go up by two for the first time, and still held a two-hole edge through 14. Eisenbeis parred No. 15 when Yoon bogeyed, and finally caught him after the same scenario on No. 17. Both made par to close the round and thus halved the match. Thus, Eisenbeis won four holes, lost four and tied 10; he won or tied 39 of the 53 he played over the two says (13 won, 26 tied, 14 lost).
The Buffaloes return to action in two weeks (March 4-5) in the Lamkin San Diego Classic at San Diego Country Club.
NOTES: Fullerton only had one occasion Tuesday with as much as a three-hole lead; it led by two just 10 times and by one 21 times; the teams were tied 16 times, otherwise CU led after 52 of the 100 holes played (and by multiple holes 30 times) … Overall, the Buffs were 13-3-2 in matches over the three days; the sextet won 102 holes, tied 127 and lost only 56, which worked to a win-tie percentage of 80.4 percent (in the finals against CSU Fullerton, CU won 32 holes and tied 45, while the Titans won 23, a 77 win-tie percent) … This was the 20th tournament won by the Buffaloes under Edwards during his CU career, adding to his school record … McDermott improved to 7-1-1 in career match play; Swanson is now 4-2, Biwer 3-2-4 and Cark 3-1-2 while Knight (3-0) and Eisenbeis (0-1-2) competed in match play in college for the first time … CU picked up three Division I wins in the process and moved closer to .500 on the season (45-48-1), the first requirement to qualify for the NCAA postseason.
Colorado, the No. 2 seed, defeated top-seed Cal State Fullerton in a very competitive match, 4½-1½, on the 7,376-yard, par-72 Players Course at the Indian Wells Golf Resort. It was a bit closer than the final score indicated, as the Titans, who trailed most of the front nine and into the back, briefly held a 3-2-1 lead for a time before the Buffaloes closed strong.
The Buffaloes finished fifth in 2022 and then second last year, taking the event in their third try. CU has now won seven of nine matches in the unique event, as most college tournaments are stroke play.
"An awesome job by the guys," CU head coach Roy Edwards said. "We jumped out front early and then got behind after a mid-round run from Fullerton. The guys quickly rebounded with a bunch of won holes to close it out. It was really impressive by all six guys. Fullerton is a really good team and had been undefeated this spring, not having lost to anyone since October, so we knew we would have to play well.
"Tournament wins are special and this one is extra special being a match play, team-only win," Edwards added. "Everyone had a hand in the victory, and all should be excited and proud. We have a motivated and determined group and it certainly showed this week."
Freshman Brandon Knight was one of three Buffaloes to win all three matches, but turned in the most dominant performance of the trio. He defeated Matthew Schafer, 4 & 2, to give the Buffs a 1-0 lead Tuesday, winning six holes, dropping just two and tying eight. After both opened with pars on No. 1, Knight won the second hole with a par when Schafer bogeyed and never trailed from then on. Knight birdied the par-5 7th and parred No. 8 when Schafer again bogeyed to put some distance between them. Up three holes with three to play, he birded the par-4 16th to seal the victory.
For the three matches overall, Knight won 17 holes and tied 24 while losing only five. That worked to a most impressive win-tie percentage of 89 percent. And of the five holes he lost, only two were due to bogeys, the only two he made all week.
Junior Tucker Clark defeated Trevor McNary, 2 & 1; after falling behind early and trailing most of the front nine, he pulled even when he parred the par-5 9th and McNary bogeyed. Clark took his first lead with a birdie on No. 10, but McNary rallied to go up by one through 14. Clark then went birdie-birdie-par to win the next three holes and clinch the match. He won six holes and tied seven, dropping four, and for the three matches, he won 20, tied 18 and lost 12 as he wrapped a 3-0 record over the two days.
Junior Dylan McDermott defeated Russel Howlett, also 2 & 1, to secure CU's third win on the day. He spotted the Titan a one-hold edge when Howlett birdied No. 1, but tied the match immediately and went up by two after winning holes 2 through 4 by going par-birdie-birdie. McDermott built a three-hole advantage through six, but Howlett fought back to even things up through 13. Birdies on the par-5 14th and on the par-4 16th thrust McDermott back ahead by two, and when both parred the par-3 17th, McDermott won for the third time in two days. Just like Clark, on Tuesday he won six holes and tied seven, dropping four; overall, he won 19 holes, tied 17 and ost just nine times.
Junior Justin Biwer won his match over Tegan Andrews, as he was 2 up with two to play, enabling the overall match to be called in CU's favor, as it guaranteed the Buffs a half-point when leading, 3-0. He got off to a hot start, going birdie-par-birdie to win the first three holes. Andrews twice pulled back to within one, but each time Biwer came back to win the next hole to keep the match firmly in his control. He won five holes, tied eight and lost three Tuesday, wrapping with 14 holes won and 23 tied, losing just 8.
Sophomore Hunter Swanson lost his match against Garret Boe, who was 1-up through 16 holes when the match was called in favor of CU. He opened with a birdie to take an immediate lead, but Boe tied him on the next hole; Swanson then won the third before they both tied the next three. Boe caught him on No. 7 with a birdie, his first of four holes he won in a row. Swanson battled back, winning three of the next four holes and stood tied through 14. Boe reclaimed the lead with a birdie on No. 15; the two parred No. 16 before the match was called. Overall, Swanson won 19 holes, tied 19 and lost just eight here this week (five, five and six, respectively, Tuesday).
Junior Freddy Eisenbeis tied a second time here, this time against CSU-F's Howard Yoon. He trailed most of the match from the start when Yoon birdied No. 1, but was never down by more than two holes. Tied through six, Yoon won the next two to go up by two for the first time, and still held a two-hole edge through 14. Eisenbeis parred No. 15 when Yoon bogeyed, and finally caught him after the same scenario on No. 17. Both made par to close the round and thus halved the match. Thus, Eisenbeis won four holes, lost four and tied 10; he won or tied 39 of the 53 he played over the two says (13 won, 26 tied, 14 lost).
The Buffaloes return to action in two weeks (March 4-5) in the Lamkin San Diego Classic at San Diego Country Club.
NOTES: Fullerton only had one occasion Tuesday with as much as a three-hole lead; it led by two just 10 times and by one 21 times; the teams were tied 16 times, otherwise CU led after 52 of the 100 holes played (and by multiple holes 30 times) … Overall, the Buffs were 13-3-2 in matches over the three days; the sextet won 102 holes, tied 127 and lost only 56, which worked to a win-tie percentage of 80.4 percent (in the finals against CSU Fullerton, CU won 32 holes and tied 45, while the Titans won 23, a 77 win-tie percent) … This was the 20th tournament won by the Buffaloes under Edwards during his CU career, adding to his school record … McDermott improved to 7-1-1 in career match play; Swanson is now 4-2, Biwer 3-2-4 and Cark 3-1-2 while Knight (3-0) and Eisenbeis (0-1-2) competed in match play in college for the first time … CU picked up three Division I wins in the process and moved closer to .500 on the season (45-48-1), the first requirement to qualify for the NCAA postseason.
Finals
No. 2 Colorado def. No. 1 Cal State Fullerton, 4½-1½
Third Place
No. 6 Sacramento State def. No. 5 UC Irvine, 3-3 (won on tiebreakers)
Fifth Place
No. 4 Wyoming def. No. 3 Pacific, 3-3 (won on tiebreakers)
Seventh Place
No. 8 UC Santa Barbara def. No. 7 Utah State, 4-2
Colorado def. CSU-Fullerton, 4½-1½
#1—*Justin Biwer (CU) def. Tegan Andrews, 2 up (16)
#2—*Garrett Boe (CSF) def. Hunter Swanson, 1 up (16)
#3—Dylan McDermott (CU) def. Russel Howlett, 2 & 1
#4—Freddy Eisenbeis (CU) tied Howard Yoon, AS
#5—Tucker Clark (CU) def. Trevor McNary, 2 & 1
#6—Brandon Knight (CU) def. Matthew Schafer, 4 & 2
*—matches called once CU was determined the winner.
No. 2 Colorado def. No. 1 Cal State Fullerton, 4½-1½
Third Place
No. 6 Sacramento State def. No. 5 UC Irvine, 3-3 (won on tiebreakers)
Fifth Place
No. 4 Wyoming def. No. 3 Pacific, 3-3 (won on tiebreakers)
Seventh Place
No. 8 UC Santa Barbara def. No. 7 Utah State, 4-2
Colorado def. CSU-Fullerton, 4½-1½
#1—*Justin Biwer (CU) def. Tegan Andrews, 2 up (16)
#2—*Garrett Boe (CSF) def. Hunter Swanson, 1 up (16)
#3—Dylan McDermott (CU) def. Russel Howlett, 2 & 1
#4—Freddy Eisenbeis (CU) tied Howard Yoon, AS
#5—Tucker Clark (CU) def. Trevor McNary, 2 & 1
#6—Brandon Knight (CU) def. Matthew Schafer, 4 & 2
*—matches called once CU was determined the winner.
Players Mentioned
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