The Idaho men’s golf team kicked off its spring season at the PRO Compression Invitational in Rancho Santa Fe, California.
Sophomore Enrique Marin led the Vandals with a 231 after three rounds. Idaho finished 12th overall as a team with a 951.
The par-72, 6,947-yard course was a force to be reckoned with for the Vandals. After the second round was cut short due to darkness on day one, the Vandals remained in 12th and would not climb out of the hole.
UC Santa Barbara won the tournament with a final team score of 852. Junior Zach Smith and freshman Brett Bennett each finished with a 6-under-par 210. Both tied for third overall to lead the Gauchos.
Idaho sat in 12th after the first day and stayed there throughout the tournament. None of the five Vandals finished under par, and all five shot over 80 on day three.
Marin recorded a team-low, 3-over-par 75 on the second day of the tournament. A quadruple-bogey on the 558-yard third hole and a double on the 13th pushed Marin to an 80 on day three.
Senior Ryan Porch carded a 77 on the first two days and finished with 234 overall, tying him for 48th. Freshman Ethan Atherstone shot a 78 on the second day but was over 80 on days one and three, finishing tied for 57th with a 241.
Wichita State sophomore Yannick Emmert placed first overall, shooting par or under all three days. Emmert ended with a 13-under-par 203 to edge out Sacramento State’s Aaron Beverly by five strokes.
The Vandals will hit the links again on Feb. 27 to Feb. 28 for the Southwestern Invitational at North Ranch Country Club in Westlake Village, California
Colton Clark can be reached at [email protected]