The Raven Golf Course in Destin, Fla.
Destin, Fla. – The Gustavus Adolphus men’s golf team held on to its eighth place standing after the third day of competition at the 2013 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships taking place at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. Playing on the Raven Course for the second straight day, the Gusties shot a 305 (+21) to bring their three-day total to 903 (+47).
“We got off to another decent start with some birdies early on,” said Head Coach Scott Moe. “Although we started well, everyone had one or two doubles and in a tournament against the teams of this caliber, those always prove costly. The course is becoming more challenging and more firm as the week continues, so we’ll have to find a way adjust on the final day.”
Gustavus in a tie for eighth place alongside Wittenberg University. Transylvania remained in the lead after shooting a 297 (+13) today. With a 54-hole of 876 (+20), the Pioneers are two strokes of ahead of second place Texas-Tyler (878, +22) who shot a 299 (+15) on day three. Both Transylvania and Texas-Tyler have created a slight separation from Methodist who rounds out the top three in third with a total score of 887 (+31).
Tyler McMorrow is currently ranked sixth heading into the final day of the NCAA Championships.
For the second day in a row, the Gusties were led by junior Tyler McMorrow (St. Cloud, Minn.). After shooting a one-over-par 72 on day two, McMorrow became the first Gustavus golfer to record a score under par on day three. The junior made up for two bogeys with birdies on holes three and seven to shoot even through the front nine. After three birdies on the first six holes of the back nine, a double-bogey on the 17th brought him to a one-under-par 70 for the day. Tyler was one of four players to post a score of 70 on the third day. Their rounds ranked second behind Brad Shigezawa’s (Claremont-Mudd-Scripps) two-under 69. McMorrow is now in a tie for sixth place with a 54-hole total 218 (+4) heading into the final day of competition. He moved up 17 places from his 23rd place standing after the second day.
“Tyler had another great day,” commented Moe about his junior St. Cloud product. “After five birdies and a great par on the 18th, he’s put himself in striking distance of the podium heading into tomorrow.”
Andrew Oakes (Jr., Hermantown, Minn.) once again finished next in line behind McMorrow. After shooting a five-over-par 76 today, Oakes moved into a tie for 39th place with a total score of 227 (+13). Oakes shot one-over after posting two birdies and three bogeys on the front nine. Despite a pair of birdies, Oakes bogeyed three times and doubled the 17th on the back.
Alex Kolquist (Sr., Hermantown, Minn.) recorded the third-best score on the team for the second straight day. Kolquist matched his score from yesterday with another eight-over-par 79. He shot four-over on both the front and the back nines to bring him to a three-day total 231 (+17).
Coby Rowley (Sr., Prior Lake, Minn.), who was the top-ranked Gustavus player after 36 holes with a four-over-par 147, stumbled on day three with an 84 (+13). Rowley shot nine-over on the front and four-over on the back, dropping him into a tie for 52nd (231, +17) alongside his teammate Alex Kolquist.
Trevor Gervais (Sr. Fergus Falls, Minn.) rounded out the squad with his best day of the tournament with a nine-over 80. He used a birdie on the first hole to go three over on the front before shooting six over on the back.
“We are 10 shots away from the fourth place team and I know we have what it takes to make up that gap,” said Moe on his team’s standing heading into the final day. “I’d like to see us limit our doubles on what will be an even more challenging course. The guys are up to the challenge and I look forward to seeing how they respond on the final day.”
The 2013 NCAA Men’s Golf Championships will come to a close tomorrow at the Raven Golf Club. The Gusties will tee off on the final day at 9:40 a.m.