Schnell?s School-Record Tying Round Helps Huskers to Second Place

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska sophomore Brady Schnell tied a school record with a seven-under par 65 on Tuesday in the second round of the Pioneer Golf Classic at Palm Valley Golf Club in Goodyear, Ariz. Schnell’s 65 tied the NU record for lowest single round, set most recently by Jamie Rogers at the Colorado State Invitational in the fall of 1998. <?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

The second-round 65 gave Schnell a two-round total of 138, good for a tie for second place with Indiana’s Santiago Quirarte, seven shots behind tournament leader Judd Easterling of Wichita State, who posted rounds of 66 and 65 on Tuesday. Schnell’s outstanding effort paced the Huskers to a strong team effort. After posting a 288 team score in round one, the Huskers shot 283 in the afternoon and their 571 total puts them in second place, 22 strokes behind team leader Wichita State, who posted rounds of 281 and 268 on Tuesday.

 

Schnell made five birdies and an eagle without a bogey in the second round on the par-72, 7,015-yard layout. The Millard West graduate is just five months removed from major knee surgery at the close of the fall schedule. Schnell bettered his previous career low round of 69, and put Coach Bill Spangler’s Huskers in good position heading into Wednesday’s final round.

 

“Brady played a great round. I wasn’t sure what the school record was, but I knew if Brady hadn’t broke it, he was close,” Spangler said. “I was thrilled with our 283 in the afternoon in fairly windy conditions. What Wichita State did today was incredible. In addition to Brady, it was good to see Drew Reynolds continue to play well. This is a good field and we are beating some good teams heading into tomorrow.”

 

Reynolds is tied for seventh after two rounds with a three-under par 141 total. Reynolds paced Nebraska to a 288 in the first round with a round of 70 and followed with a 71 in the afternoon round. Junior Judd Cornell is tied for 37th at 146 after rounds of 72 and 74, followed by freshman Tyler Bishop in a tie for 58th at 150 (77-73) and junior Kent Schreiner in a tie for 66th  at 152 (73-79).

 

Nebraska enters Wednesday’s final round one stroke ahead of third place Colorado State, while Indiana and Nevada are tied for fourth at 573 and Northern Colorado is just another shot back at 574.

 

The Pioneer Golf Classic wraps up on Wednesday with the final round of the 54-hole tournament. This is the first tournament on Nebraska’s Spring Break swing that will also take the Huskers to California for the CU-Stevinson Ranch Invitational on March 21-22.

 

Team Leaders

1. Wichita State             281-269?549

2. Nebraska                  288-283?571

3. Colorado State           289-283?572

4. Indiana                      293-280?573

Nevada                          279-294?573

6. Northern Colorado      286-288?574

 

Individual Leaders

1. Judd Easterling, Wichita State            66-65?131 (-13)

2. Brady Schnell, Nebraska                 73-65?138 (-6)

Santiago Quirarte, Indiana                       71-67?138 (-6)

4. Robert Goff, New Mexico State            73-66?139 (-5)

5. Jimmy Cunningham, Denver                71-69?140 (-4)

Charlie Soule, Denver                             69-71?140 (-4)

7. Drew Reynolds, Nebraska                70-71?141 (-3)

six others tied at 141

 

Other Nebraska Golfers

T37. Judd Cornell           72-74?146

T58. Tyler Bishop           77-73?150

T66. Kent Schreiner       73-79?152