Zags Battle Weather On First Day Of Mark Simpson Invite
9/24/2013 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
DENVER, Colo. - The Gonzaga University men's golf team battled extreme windy conditions and rain on the opening day of the Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational on Monday. Play was suspended late Monday due to darkness as 34 of the 84 participants will finish their second rounds Tuesday morning, including all five Bulldog golfers.
The Zags wrapped up the first 18-holes, played at the Colorado National Golf Club, with a 318 and was in 14th going into the second round. All five Zags will finish their second round play Tuesday with each needing to play one-to-two holes.
"After an inch of rain overnight, the wind picked up after the first hole with steady winds at 15-20 mph and gusts over 30," explained Gonzaga head coach Robert Gray. "The course played very difficult and we didn't handle the wind very well as a team. Emotionally, we lost to the conditions. When the weather kicks up like it did today, there will be a lot of adversity to deal with during the round and you have to be emotionally though. Adversity won in round one."
Junior James Fahy leads Gonzaga and is tied for 13th place after the first round with a 3-over par 75 over the first round.
"James led the team and is four shots off the lead," Gray said. "There are some shots he felt he left out there but under those conditions, that was a great round."
Senior Peter Gullickson is tied for 44th after shooting a 79, while sophomore Sean Walsh is tied for 55th after posting a first-round 80. Rounding out the opening round was sophomore Sean Carlino with an 84 and junior Erik Krzyzanowski with an 85.
Colorado, the host of the Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational, sits in first place after the first round, posting a 299. Houston Baptist's Preston Stanley is the individual leader with a 1-under par 71.
Tuesday will begin at 8 a.m. with the remaining 34 players finishing the second round. At 8:45 a.m. the third round will begin.
