Sept. 26, 2008
Complete Round 2 Release in PDF Format 
Round 3 Tee Times in PDF Format
What: 54th William H. Tucker Invitational
Where: UNM Championship Course
Friday leaders: Lobos 564, UNLV 569, Ohio State 573
Top individuals: Brandon Putnam, UNM, 138; Bo Hoag, Ohio State, 139; Derek Tolan, Colorado, 139
Saturday: First tee time at 7:30 a.m.
Admission: Free
By Richard Stevens – Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
It’s an odd situation for Lobos golfer Brandon Putnam. He falls into the role as cheerleader for the University of New Mexico’s team glory, but also gets to be a bit selfish.
“The only thing I can do on the course is try to win on my own,” Putnam said of his status in the 2008 William H. Tucker Invitational being played at the UNM Championship Course.
Putnam’s situation is this. He didn’t qualify to be on the five-man UNM squad that is battling 15 other teams for the Tucker title. But Putnam is playing as an individual and his 68-70=138 card of 6-under makes him the hottest Lobo and the hottest golfer on the course.
His 36-hole total Friday hands him a one-shot lead over Ohio State’s Bo Hoag (139) and Colorado’s Derek Anderson.
Putnam has a solid shot at the individual title, but his teammates actually are in better position for the team crown. The Lobos shots a 12-under par 564. They followed their first 18-hole total of 277 (11-under) with a second round of 1-under par and hold a 5-shot lead over UNLV (569) and a 9-shot lead over Ohio State (573). UNLV also carded a 277 on the front 18.
“It’s as good a position as we could ask for,” said Lobos coach Glen Millican. “But five shots in college golf, counting four scores, isn’t a huge cushion. It could change pretty quickly. We will go into Saturday’s round acting like we are tied because we know a few holes and this thing could be pretty close again.
“We have to be happy with how we played (Friday). Those 11-under rounds were extremely solid rounds on a difficult course. If we keep playing like we are playing, we will be in great position to win the golf tournament.”
Saturday’s final round of the 54-hole tourney begins with 7:30 a.m. tee times.
“That 11-under was ridiculous,” said Lobo freshman James Erkenbeck, who is chasing Putnam for the individual title with a card of 72-69=141. “I guess being a freshman, I wasn’t sure what our expectations would be (in scoring), but after we shot an 11-under in the first round, that fired me up.
“We only shot a 1-under in the second round, but going into the tournament we thought that even-par would be a good round. We have a good chance to win this.”
The Lobos and UNLV staged a slugfest on Friday’s front 18 with neither team flinching as they battled to a 277 tie. The 11-under was the best round ever by a Glen Millican-coached Lobos team in the Tucker.
The Lobos might not have delivered a knockout blow in the second round, but the 5-shot lead with 18 to play on their home course isn’t shabby.
Erkenbeck and Jon Sauer were the two Lobos Friday in the team group who improved their score on the second 18 holes. Sauer went 73-70 and Erkenbeck went 72-69.
“It’s hard to follow up a good round with a better round,” said Erkenbeck. “You get tired. There is more wind. The course gets harder. You look at holes and expect to make up shots where maybe you made a bogey or you look at a hole you got a par on and you think about a birdie.
“I played pretty much the same, but I played with more confidence and made a few more putts.”
Putnam said he lost his spot on the five-Lobo team with bad play in the Topy Cup in Tanagura, Japan. He was forced to qualify this week for two spots on the team, but finished tied for fourth after leading the 72-hole qualifying after 36 holes with a 68-70.
“I missed it,” said Putnam, the son of former UNM golfer Mike Putnam. “There is less pressure on me in a way because I’m out here on my own, but there is some nerves because I’m trying to prove myself for future tournaments.”
The Lobos are looking for their first team title since 2006. UNM also won in 2001 and 2002.
The Lobos’ competition this year is Air Force, Arizona, BYU, Campbell, Colorado, Hawaii, UNLV, Ohio State, Pacific, Pepperdine, UTEP, UT-San Antonio, Texas State, Utah and Wyoming. Fans unable to make it to the Championship Course can follow the action on GoLobos.com.
In Friday’s first 18 holes, Steve Saunders, a senior from Albuquerque’s La Cueva High, tied a career-low with a 5-under par 67. Parker Pemberton also had a good morning round tying his career low with a 4-under 68.
The rest of the UNM team was solid on the first 18 holes, too. Nick Geyer came in at 2-under 70, Erkenbeck had his even-par 72 and Jon Sauer had a 73.
The UNM’s two-round scores were Erkenbeck 72-69=141; Geyer 70-72=142; Sauer 73-70=143; Saunders 67-76=143; Pemberton 68-77=145.
Editor’s note: Richard Stevens is a former Associate Sports Editor and sports columnist for The Albuquerque Tribune. You can reach him at rstevens50@comcast.net.