Freshman Drew McCullough won the Ram Masters Invitational this past week in Fort Collins, Colo.
McCullough won with a score of 210 (even), while leading the Cowboys who finished ninth as a team with a three-round score of 883 (12-over).
“I’m excited for him,” said Head Men’s Golf Coach Joe Jensen. “He is just solid. He has a great skill set. He plays very hard. He comes from a blue-collar family and he is an athlete. He just competes and is resilient.”
“I love this young, young, young team,” said Jensen. “That course was a tough course. It was emotionally and mentally taxing.”
The UW freshman led wire to wire in route to his first career victory. He opened with his low round of the tournament firing a 68 (2-under). He followed that up with round of 70 (even) and closed with a 72 (2-over).
He was one of the first groups off in the third-round so he had to play the waiting game until all of his competitors finished up.
Placing second for the Cowboys and tying for 37th was Sophomore Ryan Wallen with a score of 222 (12-over). Wallen had strong opening and closing rounds of 71 (1-over) and 72 (2-over), but struggled in round two shooting a 79 (9-over).
Coming in third for Wyoming and tying for 46th was Junior Kamrin Allen who carded a 224 (14-over). Allen opened the invite with his strongest round of 72 (2-over). He backed that performance up with rounds of 75 (5-over) and 77 (7-over).
Tying for 51st and placing fourth on the Cowboy team was Freshman Glenn Workman. Workman shot matching rounds of 77 (7-over) to open the tournament and then closed strong firing a round of 73 for a three-round score of 227 (17-over).
Rounding out the UW scorers was Freshman Quintin Pope who carded a 240 (30-over). Pope scored better as the tournament went on shooting rounds of 83 (13-over), 79 (9-over) and 78 (8-over).
Golfing as an individual and placing 56th was redshirt Freshman Arron Lickteig who shot a 228 (18-over). He shot identical rounds of 75 (5-over) in his first two rounds and then closed with a 78 (8-over).
Also playing as an individual was Senior Cameron Lindell who tied for 67th while carding a 234 (14-over). He opened the Invite with his best round of 74 (4-over) and then followed that up with a second round score of 82 (12-over) and then a final round score of 78 (8-over).
“We have not put it all together yet,” said Jensen. “We still need to clean it up and put this thing together. We have tremendous upside. We just need to play solid on a consistent basis.”
Host Colorado State won the Invite with a team score of 855 (15-over). As a team the Rams closed the tournament with their best round scoring a 283 in the third round to lock up first place honors. Four shots behind CSU was the team of Kansas who carded an 859 (19-over). Rounding out the top three was the Pioneers of Denver with a score of 862 (22-over).
“This course was in fantastic shape,” said Jensen. You got to play hard and keep it in play. Pars were good out there.”
Behind McCullough and tying for second were Chase Henna, sophomore, of Kansas and Corey Eddings, freshman, of Nevada who each scored a 211 (1-over). They both shot closing rounds of 68 (2-under), but it was not enough to catch the UW golfer.
The Pokes take a couple weeks off before their next tournament. They will compete in the William H. Tucker Intercollegiate in Albuquerque, N.M. on Sept. 26th and 27th.
