Youngsters Lead the Way for Gopher Men to Open 2018-19 Season at Gopher Invite

September 9, 2018 | 4 min.



By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  MAPLE PLAIN, Minn. – Behind rounds of 71 and 72 by Evan Long Sunday, the University of Minnesota men’s golf team opened the 2018-19 season in ninth place following two rounds of play at the 2018 Gopher Invitational at Windsong Farm.
 
The sophomore will begin Monday’s final round tied for 12th seven shots off the lead while, the Gophers finished the opening round of play in sixth place with a team score of 290 before dropping three spots after posting a score of 291 late Sunday.
 
“Overall our guys fought unbelievably. We got off to a rough start this morning—7-under through six or seven holes and finished 6-over. We played the back nine really well. The front nine, for whatever reason, was not as kind to us,” Minnesota associate head coach Justin Smith said Sunday. “Evan played solid all day and I was really happy for Noah [Rasinski] to come back with a good round this afternoon.
 
“It’s pretty bunched between fourth and ninth right now, so if we go out and get three or four guys under par tomorrow and win the day, we’ll get up into the spot we know we can. You don’t have to play great, but their will and their passion is all I can ask for. We know the execution is going to come and go, but hopefully tomorrow the execution is the best it’s been in over the last four or five days. The Windsong game is to keep putting yourself in position to make putts, stay patient and be okay with 20-footers. I keep telling these guys to stay on offense as much as possible.”
 
A steady front nine to start the season for Long as he carded a lone bogey before making two birdies with one bogey over the final nine holes early Sunday to post an opening-round 71.
 
Long, from New Castle, Pa., carded a pair of birdies against two bogeys on his outward nine during the afternoon session Sunday and would post two more birdies and two bogeys over his final eight holes prior to a three-putt bogey on his final hole to finish the opening day of competition tied for 12th at 1-over par 143
 
“It was a steady day of golf and I just tried to hit fairways as much as I can,” Long said Sunday. “Windsong is a place where you have to settle for 30 feet for birdie and if you get too aggressive, it can penalize you. I was giving myself looks for birdie and my iron play was good. I birdied a couple of the par-5’s, which is a must out here.
 
“My expectations coming in were to do exactly what I did. To stay in contention and top-10 is a perfect spot for what I wanted, so I’m pretty pleased with it. My wedge game was average today, I really felt like I could’ve dialed it in a lot more. It’s something I’ll work on tomorrow morning to get ready for the third round.”
 
Seeing his first collegiate action Sunday, Lincoln Johnson made an immediate impact during his Gopher debut, shooting a 2-over par 144 and sits tied for 16th after two rounds of play. Junior Thomas Longbella and senior Peter Jones contributed by playing the first 36-holes at 4-over par 146 as the two will begin the final day tied for 26th.
 
Rasinski, a junior transfer from Concordia University-St. Paul, got off to a slow start early Sunday, shooting 6-over par 77 before battling back to card a round of even par 71 during Sunday’s afternoon session and sits tied for 40th with teammate Gus Minkin at 148.
 
The University of Arkansas’s William Buhl fired a 6-under par 136 Sunday and will take a slim one-stroke advantage over the University of Oklahoma’s Blaine Hale to the final round Monday.
 
Oklahoma shares the 36-hole lead at 569 with the University of Texas, which jumped six places during the second round Sunday, playing the back nine at 9-under par. The University of Iowa sits alone in third place at 574, five shots back.
 
The 2018 Gopher Invitational concludes Monday with final-round tee times beginning at 7:15 a.m. at Windsong Farm.
 
 
 
THE 14TH GOPHER INVITATIONAL
WINDSONG FARM
MAPLE PLAIN, MINN.
7,368 YARDS, PAR 71
 
 
SUNDAY’S TEAM RESULTS
T1. Oklahoma, 284-285—569
T1. Texas, 291-278—569
3. Iowa, 288-286—574
T4. Purdue, 282-294—576
T4. Michigan State, 288-288—576
6. San Diego State, 292-286—578
T7. N.C. State, 292-287—579  
T7. Arkansas, 288-291—579
9. MINNESOTA, 290-291—581
10. New Mexico, 296-286—582
11. Washington, 300-285—585
12. Utah, 293-295—588
13. Coastal Carolina, 296-299—595
14. Charlotte, 307-298—605
15. MINNESOTA (B), 296-314—610
 
 
SUNDAY’S INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
1. William Buhl, Arkansas, 69-67—136
2. Blaine Hale, Oklahoma, 68-69—137
3. Timmy Hildebrand, Purdue, 68-70—138
4. Troy Taylor II, MSU, 70-69—139
T5. Henry Lee, Washington, 70-70—140
T5. Alex Schaake, Iowa, 71-69—140
T7. Steven Chervony, Texas, 73-68—141
T7. Donnie Trosper, MSU, 71-70—141
T9. Julian Perico, Arkansas, 68-74—142
T9. Stephen Franken, NC State, 69-73—142
T9. Pierceson Coody, Texas, 72-70—142
 
T12. EVAN LONG, MINNESOTA, 71-72—143
T16. LINCOLN JOHNSON, MINNESOTA, 71-73—144
T26. PETER JONES, MINNESOTA, 70-76—146
T26. THOMAS LONGBELLA, MINNESOTA, 71-75—146
T40. GUS MINKIN, MINNESOTA, 70-78—148
T40. NOAH RASINSKI, MINNESOTA, 77-71—148
T53. WILL GREVLOS, MINNESOTA, 74-76—150
T56. BEN FRAZZINI, MINNESOTA, 74-77—151
T64. ANGUS FLANAGAN, MINNESOTA, 78-75—153
74. HARRY PLOWMAN-OLLINGTON, MINNESOTA, 82-84—166
 
 
For complete tournament results go to:  http://results.golfstat.com/public/leaderboards/gsnav.cfm?pg=team&tid=16478
 
 

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