The No. 1 University of Redlands men's golf team competed in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Tournament No. 2 over the weekend, battling windy conditions and a rough overall outing at Empire Lakes. The 6870-yard, par-72 course provided a tough test for the Bulldogs and the rest of the field, as only nine players tallied rounds under par during the event.
As a team, the Maroon and Gray finished the two-round event with a score of 602 to take fourth place in the standings. While combining the results from this weekend with those of the SCIAC Tournament No. 1, Redlands sits just three strokes back of the first-place Leopards from the University of La Verne, with the SCIAC Championships still to play at the end of the month.
During the most recent competition, junior Bobby Holden (Simi Valley, CA) and senior Mike Caston Jr. (Escondido, CA) led the Bulldogs with their tied-for-11th-place finish. While notching a 4.88 average on the tough par-five holes, Holden was one of six players to land an eagle during the tournament. He also came into the clubhouse after posting rounds of 76 and 74, while Caston registered scores of 73 and 77. With five total birdies, Caston also earned a 4.20 average on the par-four holes and an even par on the par-fives.
In addition, senior Jeremy Gomberg (Mountain View, CA) completed the competition in a tie for 16th, just one stroke back of his teammates (72 and 79). Overall, he led the tournament with 25 total pars.
Sophomore John McCord (Oakland, CA) and junior Anthony Estes (San Pedro, CA) both finished among the top 25 at the tournament, with McCord providing consistent rounds of 76 for 18th place. McCord also shot even on the par-five holes, while Estes tallied five birdies en route to a 36-hole mark of 155 for 21st.
While leading his team in par-three scoring, senior Nick Johnson (La Jolla, CA) put together a score of 161 (80-81). He shot an even par on the short holes and recorded 20 overall pars at the tournament.
Redlands takes a short break before competing as host of the SCIAC Men's and Women's Golf Championships on April 27-29 at Oak Valley Golf Club.
