Mountain Lions Open Season with Fifth-Place Finish at SoCal Championships

MISSION VIEJO, Calif. - An outstanding second round was erased by a disappointing third as the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs golf team opened its spring season with a fifth-place finish at the 61st SoCal Intercollegiate Championships Tuesday at the Mission Viejo Country Club.

The Mountain Lions shot a team score of 304 in the second round, which began Monday afternoon but was finished Tuesday morning because of weather delays. It was the third-best score of the round and had UCCS in a third-place tie with St. Edwards.

In the third round, however, UCCS had four golfers shoot above 80 and recorded a 325, a score that ranked ninth among the 14 teams. That allowed Washburn to move one stroke ahead of the Mountain Lions for fourth place.

No. 9-ranked Central Oklahoma took the team title with a three-round score of 884. They were followed by No. 12 Sonoma State (915) and St. Edwards (924).

It was the Mountain Lions' first tournament since October 19 and the rust of a five-month layoff showed. UCCS came into the tournament ranked 11th nationally, but may now slip a bit.

Chris Shoop was the only UCCS golfer to shoot under 80 in the third round, carding a 76 and finishing tied for fifth individually at 14-over par (227). Brian Morfeld was tied for 23rd at 237, followed by Spencer Biersdorff (241). Riley Andrews and Mitch Buchner were each at 246.

Central Oklahoma's Colby Shrum and Andrew Green finished first and second respectively for individual medalist honors. Shrum shot a 5-over par 218 and Green was one stroke behind.

The Mountain Lions will be at the Grand Canyon invitational in Phoenix next Monday and Tuesday.