By Heidi Carmack
The Cougar men”s golf team took fifth place in the USC Intercollegiate Invitational, picking up a little steam on Tuesday after struggling in the first rounds on Monday.
BYU ended Monday in sixth place after playing on a surprisingly dry, firm and tricky course-the par 71 North Ranch Country Club.
The Cougars” final score of 21-over-par 873 was 25 shots behind first place Stanford University.
“Overall it was a little disappointing,” said assistant coach Todd Miller. “But we didn”t lose to any teams ranked lower than us.”
All-American Jake Ellison started out with a 5-over-par 76 in the first round, but didn”t finish the second round because of unbearable pain from an infection. Ellison was taken straight to a hospital and did not resume play on Tuesday.
“Ellison is doing fine, they took him to the hospital and he should be better in about a week,” Miller said. “Hopefully we”ll have him for Texas at the end of the month. Golf is tough to play when you lose a player because you just have to play with four guys instead of five.”
The team leader, All-American Daniel Summerhays, tied fourth place. Summerhays had an impressive first round of 3-under-par 68 on Monday, and kept playing strong in the next two rounds for a final of 2-under-par 211.
Southern California”s Rory Hie was the tournament leader with an overall 5-under par 208, 3 shots ahead of Summerhays.
BYU”s Nick Killpack competed as an individual and tied for seventh place with a 1-under-par 212.
“Nick [Killpack] was impressive today,” said coach Bruce Brockbank in a press release. “As an individual competitor you play to gain experience and prove yourself; that is exactly what he did.”
Senior Nick Becker contributed to the Cougars” score with his overall even-par 213, playing strong rounds both Monday and Tuesday.
Freshman Robbie Fillmore was tied in 33rd place with a final score of 8-over par 221.
Senior Clay Ogden struggled mentally against the course, and ended with an overall 15-over 228.
“It was good to see so many guys play well,” Miller said.
The Cougars” will play next at the Morris Williams tournament March 26-27 in Austin, Texas.
