March 16, 2013
NIT Team and Individual Leaderboard
TUCSON, Ariz. – The third-ranked University of New Mexico men’s golf team had a hot and cold day that mimicked that of senior John Catlin on Saturday during the first two rounds of the Don Puckette National Invitational Tournament.
Catlin took the lead with a blistering 8-under 64 in the first round as the Lobos totaled an 11-under 277 and trailed Oklahoma State by one stroke. Both he and UNM, however, cooled off in the second 18 holes of the day.
Catlin’s 4-over 76 in the second round left him tied for fifth, and the Lobos’ even-par 288 left them in third place, six strokes behind leader Oklahoma State at the Omni Tucson National Golf Club.
The 13th-ranked Cowboys (276-283=559) are at 17 under and have a one-shot lead over the eighth-ranked Horned Frogs (279-281=560). Third-place UNM is sitting at 565, one stroke ahead of fellow Mountain West school San Diego State (279-287=566).
TCU’s Julien Brun, the No. 4 player in the country is the individual leader after 36 holes. He followed an opening-round 68 with a 7-under 65 in the second round Saturday and has a four-stroke lead at 11 under.
Oklahoma State’s Ian Davis (69-67=136) is second at 8 under, and and Texas A&M’s Ben Crancer (67-70) is third at 7-under 137.
The Lobos’ second round was marred by a poor 18th hole near the end of Saturday’s second round. Senior Benjamin Bauch and sophomore Gavin Green both triple-bogeyed, Catlin double-bogeyed and sophomore Victor Perez bogeyed the hole as UNM gave back six strokes to par.
Perez (72-69=141) is tied in a group in ninth place at 3 under. Bauch (68-75=143) is tied for 19th at 1 under. Senior James Erkenbeck (73-71=144) is tied for 23rd at even par and Green (74-73=147) is tied for 46th at 4 over.
Sophomore Sean Romero, competing as an individual, is 4-over (73-75=148) and tied for 51st.
The final 18 holes are scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. Mountain Time today.