Golfers In Second in Wyoming Cowboy Classic

CHANDLER, Ariz. — The University of Colorado men's golf team recorded its two best single rounds of the year here Monday as the Buffaloes are in second place in the 18th Annual Wyoming Cowboy Classic, the second round of which was suspended due to darkness.
 
The Buffaloes were in fourth after the morning round, turning in their best first round score of the year – a 7-under par 281.  CU moved into second after standing at 6-under in the second round, and after two players completed their last holes, the Buffs held on to the runner-up spot.  They were the best two single rounds for the Buffs this season, as the previous lows were a pair of 2-under efforts.
 
No. 25 San Diego State was on fire in the first round, recording a tournament record 21-under par 267 score; all five Aztec players shot rounds in the 60s.  They cooled off a bit in the second round and finished early Tuesday, but still posted a 7-under 281 to own a 15-stroke edge over the Buffs.  San Diego and No. 36 Stanford did complete their 36 holes Monday and are tied for third at 11-under, while TCU was one back at 10-under to round out the top five.
 
At present, CU is ahead of six of the seven teams ranked ahead of it coming into the event.
 
Senior Victor Bjorlow is tied for third at 8-under par; he opened with a 68 on the 7,334-yard, par-72 Whirlwind Golf Club's Cattail Course layout. He has nine birdies and just one bogey through 35 holes.   Bjorlow's 36-hole score of 136 is a career best (former was 138), and it marked the first time in 102 career rounds he posted back-to-back scores in the 60s.  In opening with a 4-under 68, it was by far his best first round score of the season in six tries (he had averaged 77), and also matched his career-best first round tally.

Senior Daniel O'Loughlin is tied for 12th, as he had a  67 the first time around Cattail but was 1-over the second time for a 4-under 140 score.  Junior John Paterson (72-70—142, tied for 24th), sophomore Adam Matteson (74-71—145, tied for 41st) and senior Cole Krantz (74-74—148, 71st) finished their Monday rounds.  Senior Ross Macdonald, playing here as an individual, also has one hole left to play.  He is 12-over and has No. 17 left to go after opening with a 78.
 
The third and final round had a shotgun start after the second round was completed at 8 a.m. MDT.  The Buffaloes will be paired with the same teams from Monday – San Diego and Stanford – as they will roll right into the third round without doing new pairings.
 
NOTES: This is the eighth time the Buffaloes are competing with a full team in this event; Colorado won it in 2016 (with Jeremy Paul tying for medalist honors with an 11-under 205) … CU has finished second three other times … This is the last team event ahead of the Pac-12 Championships (April 26-28 in Santa Rosa, Calif.); some CU individuals will compete next week in CSU-Pueblo's Southern Colorado Masters … Macdonald is playing in his first event of the year, and at 24 years old, is the oldest player to compete for the Buffs since Ben Portie did as a 25-year old his senior year in 2001-02 (he served his 2-year Mormon Mission after his sophomore year).

BUFFALO INDIVIDUALS

   T3.  Victor Bjorlow..................................... 68-68—136
T12.  Daniel O'Loughlin............................... 67-73—140
T24.  John Paterson..................................... 72-70—142
T40.  Adam Matteson................................... 74-71—145
T66.  Cole Krantz......................................... 74-74—148
T106. *Ross Macdonald............................... 78-77—155
*—competing as an individual.
 
 TOP FIVE INDIVIDUALS  

   T1.  Riley Lewis, Loyola-Marymount.......... 65-69—134
   T1.  Cameron Meeks, Loyola-Marymount... 65-70—135
   T3.  Victor Bjorlow, Colorado..................... 68-68—136
   T3.  Steve Sugimoto, San Diego State........ 65-71—136
     5.  Puwit Anupansuebsai, SDSU............... 66-70—136     
 
 TEAM SCORES
   1.  San Diego State........................ 267-281—548
   2.  COLORADO................................. 281-282—563
   3.  Stanford.................................... 285-280—565
   3.  San Diego................................. 285-280—565
   5.  TCU........................................... 279-287—566
   6.  UC Davis................................... 283-284—567
   7.  Loyola-Marymount................... 283-285—568
   8.  Wyoming.................................. 280-290—570
   9.  Utah State................................. 286-290—576
10.  Oregon..................................... 287-290—577
11.  Grand Canyon........................... 286-292—578
11.  Nevada-Las Vegas.................... 292-286—578
13.  Southern Utah........................... 290-289—579
14.  UC Irvine................................... 285-298—583
15.  Cal State Fullerton.................... 296-288—584
16.  UCLA......................................... 291-294—585
17.  Northern Colorado.................... 289-300—589
17.  Utah Valley............................... 294-295—589
19.  Weber State.............................. 298-302—600
19.  Idaho........................................ 291-309—600
21.  UC Santa Barbara..................... 302-301—603
22.  Cal Poly..................................... 303-303—606
23.  Air Force................................... 309-311—620