TUCSON, Ariz, - On the first day of competition in the 2015 National Invitational Tournament, the Wildcats held strong and finished the day in a tie for fifth place. The team was led by senior Alex McMahon, who posted a 70 to place him tied for third individually. To get there, McMahon posted two birdies on the back nine and one on the front, and on the second hole, McMahon posted an eagle to help him finish at two under for the day.
“I'm happy with the way I played today,” McMahon reflected, “especially tee to green. The team is close too. If we can play well tomorrow, we should be in a good position going into the final round.”
Freshman George Cunningham also had a standout day carding a 71 (-1) to tie for 10th place after the first round. Brenden Redfern finished the day tied for 37th with a 75 (+3). Ricky Lee and Jacob Kruez both posted 76 (+4) to tie for 47th. The Wildcats finished the round tied for fifth with California, the winners of last years National Invitational Tournament. Arizona has a team score of 292 (+4).
“I was very pleased with the composure our guys showed today," said head men's golf coach Jim Anderson. "The wind was really tough all day and we stayed patient and really showed some grit and determination. Our game plan will stay the same and we get to tee off a little before the leaders tomorrow so hopefully we can post a number for others to chase. I was really happy to see Alex post another subpar score for two in a row. George is really certifying himself as a very reliable top player with the round he played today too. It will take continued effort but I see our team improving each day. We are very happy to have a chance to play at home and love seeing lots of Wildcats supporters on the course.”
The Wildcats had three individual competitors; Max Donohue, Kolton Lapa, and Peter Koo. Donohue carded a 75 (+3), Lapa a 76 (+4), and Koo finished the day with a 77 (+5).
Play will continue tomorrow, Sunday March 1, at 8:00 a.m. MST at OMNI Tucson National.
For live scoring, visit the BirdieFire website at www.birdiefire.com. For more information and updates about the University of Arizona men's golf team, follow @UAWildcatsGolf on Twitter, @uawildcatsgolf on Instagram and like us on Facebook at facebook.com/ArizonaWildcatsGolf.
