Teeing off just about now at Scottsdale, AZ, paired with Baylor and Duke. Cut from 30 to 15 teams after Sunday, then cut to 8 teams after Monday for match play. At the very difficult Grayhawk course where the leading team after stroke play last year was 14 over.
It looks like they will avoid 100-degree temperatures. Barely. Highs forecast during the tournament range from 95 to 98. But it’s a dry heat
11 am CT update: Hogs doing OK so far. Half of the 30 teams have already teed off and the Hogs are tied for second at -2. Manuel Lozada has two birdies and one bogey; Mateo is -1; and Wil Gibson has offset a birdie with a bogey. Segundo Pinto and Julian Perico have all pars so far.
Pepperdine leads at -4, just starting the front nine after playing the back nine first.
11:40 update: Hogs are in the lead at -3. Mateo and Gibson are -2. Lozada made a triple at 6 and is our noncounter at the moment at +2. Pinto is even and Perico is +1.
Georgia is currently second.
Lot of golf left to play, of course, but nice to say you’re leading the national championship tournament.
1 pm update: Slipped back to a tie for 7th at +3 as Grayhawk is showing its teeth (talons?). However Mateo and Gibson remain -2 and are in the top 10 individuals. Pepperdine is back in front at -3.
Hogs are through and finished at +1, which is tied for second among the morning rounds. The best score so far in the afternoon rounds is -2, but they very well may give those shots back and we’ll be very close to the lead after day 1. Mateo shot a 66, Gibson a 67, but we had to count two 74s.
BYU is currently in second place, early in its round. Since the format includes Sunday play, they’ll have to play 36 holes in one day at some point, probably tomorrow since there will be a cut after Sunday’s round.
Jeff…played 18 Thursday and shot a 92. I’ve not picked up a club since January. My goal is bogey golf these days. I missed it by 2 strokes. My biggest problem is I can see where the ball goes. Pretty sure I have cataracts. And playing with other old dudes they done always see it either. Thankfully I (mostly) stayed in the short grass. My short game sucks.
I’ve played both of those courses…beautiful layouts. Talon to me is more fun to play of the two and a bit more scenic. Last time I played it with my boys in 2015, and one of them busted a 74 from tips and I had to make birdie on 18 to break 80…& subsequently bogeyed it.
I love those Scottsdale courses…a cool change of scenery to play in the spring or fall when it’s not so hot.
