PHOENIX, Ariz. - The University of Colorado Colorado Springs men's golf team recorded two of its best rounds of the spring season today and is in a tie for third after the first day of the 2014 RMAC Championships at the Golf Club of Estrella. The Mountain Lions are tied for 18 strokes over par with Colorado State-Pueblo.
UCCS shot a 296 in the first round for eight strokes over par, led by Stephen Cook's 71 at 1-under. The Mountain Lions shot 298 in the second round, led by Patrick Skakel's even 72. Both rounds rank in the top five of single-round performances for the spring season.
Skakel was fifth overall after the first two rounds with a total 145 for 1-over (73-72). He birdied the 16th hole in both rounds, and birdied the 11th hole in the first round. He bogeyed on only one hole in the second round to improve by one stroke in the second round.
Cook opened the tournament with a 71 and was third individually after the round. It was his team-leading sixth round of the season at or below par. He improved to 2-under par for the tournament after the first six holes of the second round, helped by back-to-back birdies on the eighth and ninth holes, but struggled throughout the rest of the second round and finished with a 77 in the round. He is No. 10 overall in the two rounds with his 148.
Zach Tripp improved by four strokes from the first to the second round and was tied for No. 15 overall with a 150 (77-73). The 73 in the afternoon tied for his second-best round of the season with birdies on holes four and 18 in the second round.
Dustin Dalzell competed for the first time of the spring season and was 9-over after the first two rounds with 153 (75-78). He was a member of the team score in the first round, but was bumped off the team scorecard in the second round by Joey Hearn's 76 in the round. Hearn opened with a 78 and was tied for No. 29 overall with a 154 (78-76).
UCCS was in a three-way tie for second after the first round, and is one stroke behind second-place Colorado Mesa after the second round. The Mountain Lions are 12 strokes behind leader Western New Mexico.
The third and final round of the conference champion begins at 8:30 a.m., MDT.
