DU, CU Golfers Bow Out at Season-Ending Regionals

DU’s Tonje Daffinrud Plays This Week at NCAA Championships

Playing at their respective regional tournaments, Colorado’s remaining Division 1 collegiate golf teams finished their seasons in relative disappointment. The highly ranked University of Colorado men finished 12th in a 14 team field, and CU’s women were 16th of 24. The University of Denver men placed 10th of 14 teams, and the DU women finishing 19th of 24 teams during its tournament last week.

Here’s a recap:

DU Men Score NCAA Regional Top-10 Finish

The University of Denver men’s golf team concluded its post-season play this past weekend at Old Hawthorne Golf Club in Columbia, Missouri, finishing 10th at the NCAA Central Regional.

Paced by solid final-round efforts by freshman Pat Frodigh and senior Ole Ramsnes, DU climbed into a top-10 finish with a 20-over par team score. Oklahoma won the team event by shooting a 33-under par.

Frodigh posted the best Pioneer score, an even-par 216 (tie for 26) after carding a final-round, four-under 68 at the three-day event. Ramsnes shot a 66 the last day and finished at one-over 217.

“I was very happy to see Ole shoot 66,” said head coach Eric Hoos. “It was a great last round as a Pioneer. Pat played his best round of the season, shooting 68, and if he keeps improving as he has, his future is very bright.”

The Pioneers shaved 18-strokes from the second round to the third. Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Missouri, LSU and Iowa State advance to the Men’s Division 1 NCAA Championship as the top five teams from the Central Region.

FAST FACT: DU’s women ended their season last week when they finished 19th in a 24-team field at the West Regionals in Washington. Pioneer standout Tonje Daffinrud (pictured below) qualified individually for the NCAA Division 1 Championship by finishing 12 in the tournament. She is playing this week at Tulsa (OK) Country Club.

Photo credit: Clarkson Creative

CU Men Finish Season in Disappointment

The University of Colorado men’s golf team, ranked No. 48 nationally, saw its season come to a sudden end when it finished a disappointing 12th in the NCAA Southeast Regional, played this weekend in Auburn, Ala.

On Saturday the Buffaloes shot the highest score in the 14-team field, an 18-over par 306, thus closing with a 901 total, some 17 strokes back of a cutline that gave the top five teams a ticket to the NCAA Championship Finals.

Defending national champion Alabama won the tournament by 22 strokes, scoring an 11-under par 853. Also earning a trip to the finals are Kennesaw State, Auburn, Virginia Tech and Texas.

“It was just a bad day, there’s really no other way to describe it,” said CU head coach Roy Edwards.  “Everyone is disappointed. No one wanted the season to end like this. I don’t think nerves played a role at all. We just played bad, and that’s unfortunately what can happen.”

Freshman Jeremy Paul (pictured below) was CU’s best finisher (7-over 223; T-28). He ended the season as the team’s leader in stroke average, 72.51, breaking the school’s previous mark by a freshman of 73.03 set by Kane Webber in 1999-2000.

CU Women Nab 16th At Regionals

The University of Colorado women’s golf team ended its spring season in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday with a 16th place finish at the NCAA Central Regional. The Buffaloes shot 63-over par 927, 25 strokes out of a top-eight slot that would have advanced them to the Division 1 NCAA Championships.

CU senior Jenny Coleman ended her collegiate career with an 8-over 224, tying for 24th. Senior Kristin Coleman posted a 15-over 231 (T-51), followed by sophomores Alexis Keating (17-over 233; T-66) and Jamie Oleksiew (32-over 248; T-109).

FAST FACT: CU has sent its team or an individual to seven regionals in the last 12 years. This season’s 16th-place finish is the Buffs’ second-best performance at regionals. In 2012, the Buffs finished fourth at the West Regional in Erie, Colo., to advance to their first-ever NCAA Championship.

Photos courtesy of the University of Denver & the University of Colorado–thank you!

RELATED LINKS

DU Woman Qualifies for NCAA Championship

First Tee of Denver Goes Above and Beyond

DU Women Seek 11th Straight Conference Title

DU Men Seek Summit Conference Crown

Chris Duthie is a contributor to Colorado AvidGolfer, the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it. It publishes eight issues annually and proudly delivers daily content via www.coloradoavidgolfer.com.

GET COLORADO GOLF NEWS DIRECTLY TO YOUR INBOX