Colorado University Athletics
Friday, September 20
Albuquerque, N.M.
All Day
Colorado
vs
First Two Rounds
Sophomore Brandon Knight's 4-under 68 led all Buffs in round 1 in Albuquerque.
Photo by: Roy Edwards
Golfers In Third In New Mexico's Tucker Intercollegiate
September 20, 2024 | Men's Golf
Three Buffaloes In Top 12 Through 36 holes
ALBUQUERQUE — The University of Colorado men's golf team played its fifth round in four days and emerged in third place here Friday after two rounds of New Mexico's 69th Annual William H. Tucker Intercollegiate.
Host New Mexico recorded the only two-sub 280 team scores – 276 and 279 – en route to a 21-under par 555 total, which is good for a 10-stroke lead over Grand Canyon (565). The Buffaloes put subpar rounds together (282-284) and stand alone in third with a 10-under 566 tally. Long Beach State (570) and Arkansas State (574) round out the top five. Colorado was tied for second with Stetson after the morning round.
In the 68 previous tries here, the Buffaloes have never finished under-par in the final standings; the best was just last year when they were 2-over but finished 11th. That topped the previous best of 4-over in 2008 when CU finished fourth.
Senior Justin Biwer is leading the Buffalo charge for the second time this week, as he is tied for third with a 5-under par 72-67—139 effort on UNM's 7,546-yard, par-72 Championship Course. He posted a team-high nine birdies, 11th-best in the 96-man field, along with 23 pas and only four bogeys. He played the tough par-3's even, tied for fifth-best in the field (behind four players at 1-under), and the par-4's at 2-under, tied for the fourth-best. He's opened his final CU campaign with seven of his eight rounds of par or better.
Sophomore Brandon Knight posted CU's best score in the morning round – a 4-under 68 – and came back with an even-par 72 the second time around the UNM track for a 4-under 140 that has him tied for seventh. He had CU's lone eagle with seven birdies, 23 pars and just five bogeys. In all three events this young season, he has recorded an even-par score in all three second rounds each time out.
Senior Dylan McDermott is tied for 12th after fashioning a 69-72—141 (3-under) scorecard, as he enjoyed a very solid two rounds that included six birdies and a team-high 27 pars, the second-most in the field, with just three bogeys, those tied for the fewest over the 36 holes. He matched Biwer in playing the par-3's even, the par-5's and 5-under and was 2-over the par-4's. All eight of his rounds this season have been under (four) or even-par (four), the eight consecutive of such tied for the third longest streak in school history; he owns the record of 12 set his sophomore year.
Senior Freddy Eisenbeis recorded a pair of 73's for a 2-over 146 total that has him tied for 36th. He had five birdies and 24 pars opposite seven bogeys, and played the par-5's at 3-under. This is the first time this season he's a designated scorer, earning the fourth spot in the line-up after averaged exactly 70.0 strokes in six rounds prior to New Mexico.
Junior Hunter Swanson is tied for 54th with a 4-over 75-73—148 total, hanging in there besides not playing his best as he came in with a team-leading 67.5 stroke average. He opened his day with a double bogey – CU's only one of the day – but did settle down and finished with six birdies, 21 pars and eight bogeys. He was 3-under on the par-5's.
Freshman Parker Paxton is competing as an individual, and he is tied for 47th after posting a 72-75—147 (3-over) score. He had five birdies and 23 pars with eight bogeys Friday, played the par-5's at 1-under, the par-4's at 1-over and the par-3's at 3-over.
"We had a really nice day overall," CU head coach Roy Edwards said. "Justin with a great second round and Dylan and Brandon the same in the morning. The guys did a very nice job of competing and hanging in there all day. The course demands your attention at every stop and they were tremendous in that regard. We could be getting some fairly good winds coming in tomorrow and we will need to keep doing the same thing we have been doing on every shot all day."
Two Lobos are atop the leaderboard heading into the final round, with Carson Herron in first with an 11-under 133 total, and Alvaro Portillo two back after a 66-69—135 score.
The third and final round is set for a 7:45 a.m. shotgun start Saturday morning; in the unique 2-2-1 format, Biwer is teeing off on No. 2 with three of the other leaders in the top three, with the other scoring Buffaloes paired with Long Beach State off holes 3 and 4. Paxton is with three individuals and will tee off on No. 18.
NOTES: It was a cool and crisp 61 degrees when the teams teed off at 7:45 a.m., but eventually warmed into the upper 80s with partly cloudy skies most of the day; it should be about 10 degrees cooler Saturday, with a chance of rain prior to the start of play and winds to kick up at some juncture in the final round … Colorado is one of only three schools to play in all 69 Tucker events, along with host New Mexico and New Mexico State; the Buffs have never won it, but have finished second four times (1955, 1956, 1981 and 2012) … CU now has six subpar and one even-par team rounds out of eight so far this season … The average score for Friday's 192 rounds was 73.36; it was lower in the afternoon (73.20) than in the morning (73.53) … There are just 23 players under par and another five who are even through two rounds; New Mexico has four, including a non-scorer, and CU three, with several others having two in the red … The five Buff designated scorers had one eagle, 33 birdies (tie for eighth) and the most pars (118) while having just 27 bogeys and one double; the 27 bogeys were the fewest, one less than UNM and Grand Canyon … Colorado is playing the par-5's at 18-under (fifth-best in the field), the par-4's at 3-over (second-best) and the par-3's at 9-over (tied for ninth) … The Buffaloes already have 19 rounds in the 60s this season, with 24 subpar rounds and 40 of par or better (out of 60 total); of the 20 higher than par, 10 have been just 1- or 2-over par … Colorado received one vote in the GCAA/Bushnell Coaches poll that was released Friday, which placed it 46th; CU was ranked 25th in Golf Channel's preseason poll.
Host New Mexico recorded the only two-sub 280 team scores – 276 and 279 – en route to a 21-under par 555 total, which is good for a 10-stroke lead over Grand Canyon (565). The Buffaloes put subpar rounds together (282-284) and stand alone in third with a 10-under 566 tally. Long Beach State (570) and Arkansas State (574) round out the top five. Colorado was tied for second with Stetson after the morning round.
In the 68 previous tries here, the Buffaloes have never finished under-par in the final standings; the best was just last year when they were 2-over but finished 11th. That topped the previous best of 4-over in 2008 when CU finished fourth.
Senior Justin Biwer is leading the Buffalo charge for the second time this week, as he is tied for third with a 5-under par 72-67—139 effort on UNM's 7,546-yard, par-72 Championship Course. He posted a team-high nine birdies, 11th-best in the 96-man field, along with 23 pas and only four bogeys. He played the tough par-3's even, tied for fifth-best in the field (behind four players at 1-under), and the par-4's at 2-under, tied for the fourth-best. He's opened his final CU campaign with seven of his eight rounds of par or better.
Sophomore Brandon Knight posted CU's best score in the morning round – a 4-under 68 – and came back with an even-par 72 the second time around the UNM track for a 4-under 140 that has him tied for seventh. He had CU's lone eagle with seven birdies, 23 pars and just five bogeys. In all three events this young season, he has recorded an even-par score in all three second rounds each time out.
Senior Dylan McDermott is tied for 12th after fashioning a 69-72—141 (3-under) scorecard, as he enjoyed a very solid two rounds that included six birdies and a team-high 27 pars, the second-most in the field, with just three bogeys, those tied for the fewest over the 36 holes. He matched Biwer in playing the par-3's even, the par-5's and 5-under and was 2-over the par-4's. All eight of his rounds this season have been under (four) or even-par (four), the eight consecutive of such tied for the third longest streak in school history; he owns the record of 12 set his sophomore year.
Senior Freddy Eisenbeis recorded a pair of 73's for a 2-over 146 total that has him tied for 36th. He had five birdies and 24 pars opposite seven bogeys, and played the par-5's at 3-under. This is the first time this season he's a designated scorer, earning the fourth spot in the line-up after averaged exactly 70.0 strokes in six rounds prior to New Mexico.
Junior Hunter Swanson is tied for 54th with a 4-over 75-73—148 total, hanging in there besides not playing his best as he came in with a team-leading 67.5 stroke average. He opened his day with a double bogey – CU's only one of the day – but did settle down and finished with six birdies, 21 pars and eight bogeys. He was 3-under on the par-5's.
Freshman Parker Paxton is competing as an individual, and he is tied for 47th after posting a 72-75—147 (3-over) score. He had five birdies and 23 pars with eight bogeys Friday, played the par-5's at 1-under, the par-4's at 1-over and the par-3's at 3-over.
"We had a really nice day overall," CU head coach Roy Edwards said. "Justin with a great second round and Dylan and Brandon the same in the morning. The guys did a very nice job of competing and hanging in there all day. The course demands your attention at every stop and they were tremendous in that regard. We could be getting some fairly good winds coming in tomorrow and we will need to keep doing the same thing we have been doing on every shot all day."
Two Lobos are atop the leaderboard heading into the final round, with Carson Herron in first with an 11-under 133 total, and Alvaro Portillo two back after a 66-69—135 score.
The third and final round is set for a 7:45 a.m. shotgun start Saturday morning; in the unique 2-2-1 format, Biwer is teeing off on No. 2 with three of the other leaders in the top three, with the other scoring Buffaloes paired with Long Beach State off holes 3 and 4. Paxton is with three individuals and will tee off on No. 18.
NOTES: It was a cool and crisp 61 degrees when the teams teed off at 7:45 a.m., but eventually warmed into the upper 80s with partly cloudy skies most of the day; it should be about 10 degrees cooler Saturday, with a chance of rain prior to the start of play and winds to kick up at some juncture in the final round … Colorado is one of only three schools to play in all 69 Tucker events, along with host New Mexico and New Mexico State; the Buffs have never won it, but have finished second four times (1955, 1956, 1981 and 2012) … CU now has six subpar and one even-par team rounds out of eight so far this season … The average score for Friday's 192 rounds was 73.36; it was lower in the afternoon (73.20) than in the morning (73.53) … There are just 23 players under par and another five who are even through two rounds; New Mexico has four, including a non-scorer, and CU three, with several others having two in the red … The five Buff designated scorers had one eagle, 33 birdies (tie for eighth) and the most pars (118) while having just 27 bogeys and one double; the 27 bogeys were the fewest, one less than UNM and Grand Canyon … Colorado is playing the par-5's at 18-under (fifth-best in the field), the par-4's at 3-over (second-best) and the par-3's at 9-over (tied for ninth) … The Buffaloes already have 19 rounds in the 60s this season, with 24 subpar rounds and 40 of par or better (out of 60 total); of the 20 higher than par, 10 have been just 1- or 2-over par … Colorado received one vote in the GCAA/Bushnell Coaches poll that was released Friday, which placed it 46th; CU was ranked 25th in Golf Channel's preseason poll.
| BUFFALO INDIVIDUALS |
| T3. | Justin Biwer | 72-67—139 |
| T7. | Brandon Knight | 68-72—140 |
| T12. | Dylan McDermott | 69-72—141 |
| T36. | Freddy Eisenbeis | 73-73—146 |
| T47. | *Parker Paxton | 72-75—147 |
| T54. | Hunter Swanson | 75-73—148 |
| INDIVIDUAL LEADERS |
| 1. | Carson Herron, New Mexico | 66-67—133 |
| 2. | Alvaro Portillo, New Mexico | 66-69—135 |
| T3. | Justin Biwer, Colorado | 72-67—139 |
| T3. | Charlie Forster, Long Beach State | 70-69—139 |
| T3. | Matt Diehl, Grand Canyon | 71-68—139 |
| T3. | Aidan Thomas, New Mexico State | 66-73—139 |
| TEAM STANDINGS |
| 1. | New Mexico | 276-279—555 |
| 2. | Grand Canyon | 284-281—565 |
| 3. | COLORADO | 282-284—566 |
| 4. | Long Beach State | 285-285—570 |
| 5. | Arkansas State | 292-282—574 |
| T6. | San Diego State | 289-286—575 |
| T6. | Stetson | 282-293—575 |
| T6. | Santa Clara | 287-288—575 |
| 9. | Southern California | 294-282—576 |
| 10. | UNLV | 292-286—578 |
| 11. | Loyola Marymount | 293-289—582 |
| 12. | New Mexico State | 288-296—584 |
| 13. | Texas-El Paso | 291-297—588 |
| 14. | San Francisco | 293-299—592 |
| 15. | Fresno State | 304-289—593 |
| 16. | Oral Roberts | 298-299—597 |
| 17. | Eastern Michigan | 311-303—614 |
Players Mentioned
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