UW golfers 4th at NCAA tourney
Published 11:33 pm Tuesday, May 26, 2009
TOLEDO, Ohio — The University of Washington men’s golf team battled through inconsistent elements to record a 4-over par 298 and is tied for fourth after the first round of the NCAA Division I men’s golf championship at Inverness Club.
After a morning filled with rain and gusty winds, Washington played its round in a mostly cloudy afternoon with constant wind. The Huskies led at one point.
Washington hit a rough spot during holes three-through-six, dropping 10 strokes during those four holes alone. Nick Taylor, Richard Lee and Choo all double bogeyed No. 4, while Darren Wallace double bogeyed hole No. 5 during that stretch.
Taylor, who finished second at last year’s NCAA championships shot a one-under 70 and is tied with four other players for fourth place in the 156-person field. Wallace tied for 16th overall with a one-over-par 72. Chris Killmer is tied for 56th at plus-four, while Lee is tied for 75th at plus-five.
Washington is tied with surprising San Diego after the first round and is just one stroke behind third-place Chattanooga. Fourth-ranked Oklahoma and top-ranked Georgia are tied for the tournament lead at 4-over 288 at the par 71, 7,255-yard course.
Northwestern’s Jonathan Bowers, Illinois’ Scott Langley and North Carolina State’s Matt Hill shot 2-under-par 69s to lead the individual race, while Oklahoma State and Georgia shared the team lead.
All 30 qualifying teams and six individual players will compete in three days of medal play. Those 54 holes will cut the field to a final eight teams for match play.
