University of Northern Colorado Athletics
Sunday, February 25
Goodyear, Ariz. - Palm Valley Golf Club
University of Northern Colorado
vs
Loyola Intercollegiate
Photo by: Ross LaDue
UNC Records Season-Best Score on Opening Day of Loyola Intercollegiate
2/25/2024 9:10:00 PM | Men's Golf
GOODYEAR, Ariz. – Fueled by under-par rounds from Gage Messingham, Pietro Boeris and Antti Vahvaselka, Northern Colorado posted the best round of the season on day one of the Loyola Intercollegiate – hosted by Loyola (Md.) – at Palm Valley Golf Club (par 72/7,015 yards) Sunday.
The Bears finished the opening day at eight-under par (280), five strokes first place North Dakota State, one swing less than host Loyola in third and three strokes ahead of SIU Edwardsville and Delaware, tied for fourth.
Starting on the 18th tee, Messingham carded a par, before moving to the front nine, where he birdied the second, seventh and ninth holes. His only blemish occurred with a bogey on the par-3 fourth. He added a pair of birdies on the backside, recording four on both par-5s. Messingham closed the day with a 4-under-par 68, in a four-way tie for fifth.
Boeris needed one more stroke than Messingham in a five-way tie for ninth at 69. Boeris opened with a birdie on the par-3 185-yard 16th hole. He remained 1-under par until a bogey on the par-3 eighth. Boeris played the next four holes in 3-under par. He wrote down a four on the par-5 ninth and 11 before he carded a two on the 12th. Boeris shot an even par over the final three holes.
Despite a roller coaster ride, Vahvaselka registered the third round under par for the Bears. He moved to one under on his fourth hole of the day, the 515-yard par-five second. After a pair of bogeys on the fourth and fifth, Vahvaselka regrouped and completed the front nine with two birdies and two pars. He went to the 10th at minus one. Vahvaselka shot a 36 on the back nine, with seven pars, a six on the par-five 11 and a two on the par-three 12. He completed day one with a 1-under-par 71, tied with 14 other competitors for 27th.
TJ Shehee ended the opening round with an even-par 72, in a 13-way tie for 42nd. He tallied four birdies and four bogeys on the day. Shehee tallied minus three on the four par-5s, two over on the four par-3s and one over on the par-4s.
Westin Pals carded a 2-over-par 74, part of an eight-way tie for 71st. After three holes, Pal sat at even par. He bogeyed four of the next six holes, dropping to four-under-par. He battled back with a four on the par-five ninth and a three on the par-four 15th.
UP NEXT
UNC tees off at 7:45 a.m. on the first three holes in the second round Monday, with the final round Tuesday.
The Bears finished the opening day at eight-under par (280), five strokes first place North Dakota State, one swing less than host Loyola in third and three strokes ahead of SIU Edwardsville and Delaware, tied for fourth.
Starting on the 18th tee, Messingham carded a par, before moving to the front nine, where he birdied the second, seventh and ninth holes. His only blemish occurred with a bogey on the par-3 fourth. He added a pair of birdies on the backside, recording four on both par-5s. Messingham closed the day with a 4-under-par 68, in a four-way tie for fifth.
Boeris needed one more stroke than Messingham in a five-way tie for ninth at 69. Boeris opened with a birdie on the par-3 185-yard 16th hole. He remained 1-under par until a bogey on the par-3 eighth. Boeris played the next four holes in 3-under par. He wrote down a four on the par-5 ninth and 11 before he carded a two on the 12th. Boeris shot an even par over the final three holes.
Despite a roller coaster ride, Vahvaselka registered the third round under par for the Bears. He moved to one under on his fourth hole of the day, the 515-yard par-five second. After a pair of bogeys on the fourth and fifth, Vahvaselka regrouped and completed the front nine with two birdies and two pars. He went to the 10th at minus one. Vahvaselka shot a 36 on the back nine, with seven pars, a six on the par-five 11 and a two on the par-three 12. He completed day one with a 1-under-par 71, tied with 14 other competitors for 27th.
TJ Shehee ended the opening round with an even-par 72, in a 13-way tie for 42nd. He tallied four birdies and four bogeys on the day. Shehee tallied minus three on the four par-5s, two over on the four par-3s and one over on the par-4s.
Westin Pals carded a 2-over-par 74, part of an eight-way tie for 71st. After three holes, Pal sat at even par. He bogeyed four of the next six holes, dropping to four-under-par. He battled back with a four on the par-five ninth and a three on the par-four 15th.
UP NEXT
UNC tees off at 7:45 a.m. on the first three holes in the second round Monday, with the final round Tuesday.
Players Mentioned
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