University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Saturday, September 12
Colorado Springs, CO
All Day
University of Northern Colorado
at
Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational
Men's Golf Finishes 7th at Gene Miranda Invite
9/13/2015 7:38:00 PM | Men's Golf
Team Results
Individual Results
USAFA Academy, Colo. – The Northern Colorado men's golf team began its 2015 fall season at the Gene Miranda Invitational hosted by Air Force.
A two-day, 72-hole event taking place on Saturday and Sunday at the Eisenhower Blue Course located at the Eisenhower Golf Course facility in USAFA Academy. From the longest tees it offers 7,301 yards of golf for a par of 72.
UNC ended the invite in a tie for seventh at the 16-team event, finishing with an 877 overall (286,298,292) which is eight spots higher than they placed last year.
"All-in-all it was a positive event for the Bears. Beating and competing closely with good squads really helps us in preparation for our next tournament," head coach Roger Prenzlow said. "It was good to see Steven Kupcho come out today and play a solid round as well as Conner Barr."
Kupcho, a senior on the team returned to the links this year after redshirting due to injury in 2014. Kupcho played a solid event for his first time back, making a Top 25 appearance, finishing 22nd overall.
The senior had a solid morning round on Saturday, carding a 72 (E) with 12 pars and three birdies. Kupcho relapsed in the second 36-hole stretch in the afternoon tallying five bogeys and ending with a 75 (+3).
On Sunday, Kupcho got back on track signing off on his first under par scorecard of the year with a 71 (-1). He had an impressive performance on the back nine, holing four birdies before making a double bogey on the 18th.
Freshman Josh Matz and sophomore Sam Marley both made it in the Top 35, tying for 35th in the 88-man invite.
Matz's best round of the invite came in the afternoon on Saturday as worked his way to a 71 (-1) on a day that saw 36 holes of competition. The newcomer tallied 11 pars, four birdies and three bogies to cap off Saturday evening. Matz opened and ended the tournament with rounds of 75 (+3).
"A couple of guys lost their focus in the afternoon round and it cost us," Prenzlow said. "Josh Matz played well in the second round and it really helped when we needed it. He got some valuable experience this weekend and certainly helped the team score."
Marley exploded on to the scene in the opening round, shooting a career-low 68 (-4). Marley's impressive 18 holes include three birdies, 13 pars and his first career hole-in-one on the par 3, 7th.
Much like the rest of the team, Marley had a hard time in the second-stretch on Saturday, completing the round with a 78 (+6), but improved on Sunday, carding a 75 (+3).
"Sam played exceptional golf in the morning round on Saturday," Prenzlow said. "It was exciting to see him make his first career hole-in-one, finishing with a 68. I'm looking forward to watching him progress over the fall."
Senior Conner Barr, another veteran on Prenzlow's squad finished in the middle of the pack, tying for 52nd place, but put together a nice final round, shooting 71 (-1) with a team-high 14 pars on Sunday.
Barr got off to a rocky start finishing Saturday morning with a 78 (+6), but cut that score in half in the afternoon with a 75 (+3) in the second round.
The other freshman on the roster, Li Chen, rounded out the weekend for UNC. The newcomer had his ups and downs in his collegiate debut.
Chen started the tournament with his first career under par round as a Bear, shooting 71 (-1). Chen dominated the front nine, with two birdies and an eagle on the par 5, 9th hole, but had two double bogeys on the back nine that cut away at his hard work.
The newcomer dug himself into a hole in the last round on Saturday, taking an 81 (+9) into the clubhouse. He came back much better in his final 18, ending the invite with a 76 (+4).
Chen finished 69th overall.
"It was good for the young guys like Matz and Chen to get some experience playing competitively for ten to eleven hours straight," Prenzlow added. "The thirty six hole days are taxing, but if they can continue to maintain their focus throughout those long days in the upcoming tournaments, they will see themselves having low rounds."
Colorado State University rallied to win the tournament after being two strokes back on the final day. The Rams shot 849 (-15 overall) as a team.
Individually, Colorado's Philip Juel-Berg was named the invite's champion, shooting -15 under par on the weekend.
The men's team will be back on the course on Sept. 21-22 as they compete in the Rams Masters Invitational in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Individual Results
USAFA Academy, Colo. – The Northern Colorado men's golf team began its 2015 fall season at the Gene Miranda Invitational hosted by Air Force.
A two-day, 72-hole event taking place on Saturday and Sunday at the Eisenhower Blue Course located at the Eisenhower Golf Course facility in USAFA Academy. From the longest tees it offers 7,301 yards of golf for a par of 72.
UNC ended the invite in a tie for seventh at the 16-team event, finishing with an 877 overall (286,298,292) which is eight spots higher than they placed last year.
"All-in-all it was a positive event for the Bears. Beating and competing closely with good squads really helps us in preparation for our next tournament," head coach Roger Prenzlow said. "It was good to see Steven Kupcho come out today and play a solid round as well as Conner Barr."
Kupcho, a senior on the team returned to the links this year after redshirting due to injury in 2014. Kupcho played a solid event for his first time back, making a Top 25 appearance, finishing 22nd overall.
The senior had a solid morning round on Saturday, carding a 72 (E) with 12 pars and three birdies. Kupcho relapsed in the second 36-hole stretch in the afternoon tallying five bogeys and ending with a 75 (+3).
On Sunday, Kupcho got back on track signing off on his first under par scorecard of the year with a 71 (-1). He had an impressive performance on the back nine, holing four birdies before making a double bogey on the 18th.
Freshman Josh Matz and sophomore Sam Marley both made it in the Top 35, tying for 35th in the 88-man invite.
Matz's best round of the invite came in the afternoon on Saturday as worked his way to a 71 (-1) on a day that saw 36 holes of competition. The newcomer tallied 11 pars, four birdies and three bogies to cap off Saturday evening. Matz opened and ended the tournament with rounds of 75 (+3).
"A couple of guys lost their focus in the afternoon round and it cost us," Prenzlow said. "Josh Matz played well in the second round and it really helped when we needed it. He got some valuable experience this weekend and certainly helped the team score."
Marley exploded on to the scene in the opening round, shooting a career-low 68 (-4). Marley's impressive 18 holes include three birdies, 13 pars and his first career hole-in-one on the par 3, 7th.
Much like the rest of the team, Marley had a hard time in the second-stretch on Saturday, completing the round with a 78 (+6), but improved on Sunday, carding a 75 (+3).
"Sam played exceptional golf in the morning round on Saturday," Prenzlow said. "It was exciting to see him make his first career hole-in-one, finishing with a 68. I'm looking forward to watching him progress over the fall."
Senior Conner Barr, another veteran on Prenzlow's squad finished in the middle of the pack, tying for 52nd place, but put together a nice final round, shooting 71 (-1) with a team-high 14 pars on Sunday.
Barr got off to a rocky start finishing Saturday morning with a 78 (+6), but cut that score in half in the afternoon with a 75 (+3) in the second round.
The other freshman on the roster, Li Chen, rounded out the weekend for UNC. The newcomer had his ups and downs in his collegiate debut.
Chen started the tournament with his first career under par round as a Bear, shooting 71 (-1). Chen dominated the front nine, with two birdies and an eagle on the par 5, 9th hole, but had two double bogeys on the back nine that cut away at his hard work.
The newcomer dug himself into a hole in the last round on Saturday, taking an 81 (+9) into the clubhouse. He came back much better in his final 18, ending the invite with a 76 (+4).
Chen finished 69th overall.
"It was good for the young guys like Matz and Chen to get some experience playing competitively for ten to eleven hours straight," Prenzlow added. "The thirty six hole days are taxing, but if they can continue to maintain their focus throughout those long days in the upcoming tournaments, they will see themselves having low rounds."
Colorado State University rallied to win the tournament after being two strokes back on the final day. The Rams shot 849 (-15 overall) as a team.
Individually, Colorado's Philip Juel-Berg was named the invite's champion, shooting -15 under par on the weekend.
The men's team will be back on the course on Sept. 21-22 as they compete in the Rams Masters Invitational in Fort Collins, Colorado.
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