Colorado men’s golf opens season with impressive second-place finish
The Colorado Buffaloes men’s golf team kicked off its fall season with a second-place finish at the Vuori Invitational on Tuesday, falling to the No. 10 Arkansas Razorbacks by four strokes.
The Buffaloes finished the tournament with two top-five individual performances by sophomore Tyler Long and junior Parker Paxton.
The team played at the Rancho Santa Fe Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California, against 12 universities spanning across the country. The tournament started on Monday with two 18-hole shotgun rounds, and a classic 18-hole round to finish the tournament on Tuesday.
The infamously tough course made a name for itself early, as 15 of the 18 holes played had an average par, and only four eagles were recorded on the first day.
The Buffs opened the tournament on Monday with a score of 3 over par in the first round, a start that landed the Buffs at the bottom of the leaderboard. During the second round, Colorado quickly rebounded and made its way to the top of the leaderboard.
The turnaround was led by Long, who opened the tournament at 3 under through 11 holes and a chance at an individual first-place finish. This success didn't slow down, as Long finished the first day of the tournament with seven birdies and 18 pars.
This quick turnaround for the squad landed them in second place following the first day and a top-10 individual finish from Paxton.
During the second day of the tournament, the Buffs carried their momentum from the previous round and ended Tuesday’s round at 3 under par. This round was one of only three subpar rounds recorded all tournament, and all five of Colorado's designated scorers finished in the top 28 of the tournament. Paxton finished the second day at 1 under par with a score of 71, securing the fourth top-five finish of his career.
The performance gave head coach Roy Edwards a strong start entering his 21st season, considering the toughness of this course. The Rancho Santa Fe Golf Course is rated by the USGA at 75.2 with an extreme slope index of 140.
The Buffaloes have their next meet here in Colorado at the Air Force Academy's two-part event. These events include the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational at the Academy's Eisenhower Blue Golf Course, starting on Saturday, and an individual tournament hosted on the same dates. The field of play includes 18 different schools across the U.S., and all nine Buffs will compete in the events, looking to bring home a 10th title.
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