Back in September, the women’s team’s Esther Lee set the women’s NCAA record for low round in relation to par with an 11-under-par 61.
Then on Saturday at the Classic Club in Palm Desert, Calif., the CU men’s team shot the lowest single-round team score — in relation to par — in college golf this season as the Buffs posted a 22-under 266 in the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate. CU sports information director Dave Plati also said it was the lowest round in program history by five shots, relative to par.
CU put all four of its score-counting players in the 60s to move into second place, four strokes behind Coloradan Wyndham Clark’s tournamant-leading Oregon squad with one round remaining in the 22-team tournament.
Jeremy Paul (pictured with CU coach Roy Edwards) fired an 8-under-par 64 — matching the best score in team history, relative to par — despite bogeying the par-5 final hole. Fellow senior Ethan Freeman posted a 66 with an eagle, junior John Souza a 67 and junior Yannik Paul a 69. With that 266 team total, the Buffs stand at 19-under 557.
“It was one of those special days,” Edwards told CUBuffs.com. “Things kind of fell into place from start to finish, and we had a few breaks here and there. So you have to enjoy these days when they come around because you don’t shoot this low very often. Simply just a great day by the guys. They were awesome.”
Jeremy Paul and Clark, the No. 1-ranked college player in the country, share third place individually at 7-under-par 137, sitting five strokes behind Clark’s Oregon teammate Norman Xiong (67-65). Freeman (141) is also in the top 10, sharing eighth place. Clark carded a bogey-free 7-under-par 65 on Saturday.
All of the golfers comprising CU’s team are in the top 20 individually, with Souza (12th at 142), Yannik Paul (14th at 143) and Spencer Painton (20th at 144) rounding out the five.
(Update: For the final results from the tournament, CLICK HERE.)
Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate
Feb. 17-19, 2017 in Palm Desert, Calif.
2. (out of 22 teams) Colorado 291-266–557
3. Jeremy Paul 73-64–137
8. Ethan Freeman 75-66–141
12. John Souza 75-67–142
14. Yannik Paul 74-69–143
20. Spencer Painton 69-75–144
25. Ryan Schmitz (competing only as individual) 76-69–145
60. Wilson Belk (competing only as individual) 79-71–150
82. Victor Bjorlow (competing only as individual) 76-77–153
13. Denver 304-293–597
25. Petter Mikalsen 71-74–145
39. Jake Kelley 75-72–147
82. Eric Hagen 79-74–153
82. Isaac Petersilie 79-74–153
124. Chris Korte X-73
90. Roy Kang (competing only as individual) 79-75–154
113. Troy Dangler (competing only as individual) 84-75–149
Also
3. Coloradan Wyndham Clark, Oregon 72-65–137
55. Coloradan Glenn Workman, Wyoming 76-73–149
The showing marked the third top-two team performance in a large-scale tournament this season by the Buffs, who tied for the title at their own Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational and were second at the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational, both in the fall.
On Sunday, CU had the second-best final-round score, an even-par 288, to put the pressure on 36-hole leader Kansas, which is coached by former Colorado State University coach Jamie Bermel. But the Jayhawks’ five golfers played the final five holes in a combined 6 under par to claim their third team title of the season.
KU posted a 2-over-par 866 total for three rounds, three shots better then Colorado.
Individually, CU senior Philip Juel-Berg (pictured), winner of the 2015 Danish International Amateur, placed third. Rounds of 72-69-71 left him at 4-under-par 212, three strokes behind champion Sean Walsh of Gonzaga.
The University of Denver placed 19th in the team race on Sunday at 914.
Wyoming Desert Collegiate
Feb. 19-21, 2016 (final) in Palm Desert, Calif.
2. Colorado (out of 20 teams) 289-290-288–869
3. Philip Juel-Berg 72-69-71–212; 11. Jeremy Paul 71-72-73–217; 35. Ross Macdonald 73-76-73–223; 76. Ethan Freeman 86-73-71–230; 101. Wilson Belk 73-81-82–236. Competing only as individuals: 14. John Souza 76-71-72–219; 101. Pierce Aichinger 82-78-77-237.
19. Denver 300-305-309–914
45. Jake Kelley 75-71-79–225; 71. Petter Mikalsen 68-81-80–229; 71. Arti Edelman 81-73-75–229; 97. Adam Ruben 77-81-78–236; 101. Chris Korte 80-80-77–237. Competing only as individuals: 76. Michael Boylan 75-80-75–230; 88. Johan Werge 76-79-78–233.
Also
39. Coloradan Cole Nygren, Cal-Poly 74-76-74–224
79. Coloradan Glenn Workman, Wyoming 78-80-73–231