WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. –The Colorado men’s golf team kicked off their spring season at the Southwestern Invitational in Westlake Village, California on January 29. After a rough fall season with only one top-five tournament finish, the Buffaloes hoped to start the season with a promising result.
Competing against the likes of four top-25 schools, No. 7 Washington, No. 19 Cal Berkley, No. 22 Texas Tech, and No. 25 Ohio State, the Buffaloes weren’t favored to finish within the top five.
Through a few record-setting rounds, the Buffs finished their spring debut in a tie for sixth place with the 22nd-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders with a final score of 845 (290, 270, 285).
Day one of the 54-hole tournament started bumpy for the Colorado quintet with sophomore Tucker Clark being the only Buff to finish under par, shooting a 69 (-2) with an eagle on hole six.
Freshman Brandon Knight shot two above par with a 73, including three birdies and one bogey. Junior Justin Biwer, sophomore Hunter Swanson, and junior Dylann Mcdermott all finished shooting three above par with a 74.
Swanson shot his sixth eagle of the season on hole 12, tying himself for fourth most in a single CU season.
At the end of day one, the Buffaloes were sitting in 12th place, second to last. Only 13 strokes separated the Buffs from first place.
The black and gold kicked day two off with two program records. Clark golfed the best career round, finishing eight under par (63), tying the program record and boosting himself into first place. Three other Buffaloes finished under par with Knight, Biwer, and McDermott, all finishing with 69 (-2) scores. Swanson was the lone Buff with an above-par finish, as he shot 74 (+3).
The 270 (-14) team total set the record for the lowest score recorded in the opening spring tournament in CU men’s golf history. This paved the way for the Buffaloes to be in second place at the end of the day, slashing off 20 strokes from day only two strokes behind first-place Ohio State, With Clark in first place in the individual standings.
On the third and final day, the momentum seemed to shift with only one Buff finishing under par. Swanson played his best 18 holes of the tournament, finishing two under par with a 69, putting himself into a tie for 38th with four other competitors. His final score for the tournament was 217.
Biwer and McDermott both shot even with par at 71, each with three birdies and three bogies. That put both of them tied for 23rd with four other golfers at final tournament score of 214.
Clark had his worst day of the tournament, finishing the final day three above par at a score of 74 with four bogies and only one birdie. His first-place standing at the end of day two lasted no more as he finished the tournament in a tie for sixth place with San Diego State’s Tyler Kowak with a total tournament score of 206.
Knight started the final day out rough with a double bogey on hole one, followed by six bogeys, and only two birdies. He ended the day seven over par with a score of 78. That set him tied for 49th with four other golfers at a total tournament score of 220.
Their season continues on Feb. 19 in Palm Desert, California as they compete in the Wyoming Match Play Championship.
Cover photo by Jimmy McDermott/CUBuffs.com
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