Huskers First At Branson Creek Invitational

The <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska men’s golf team fired rounds of 293 and 290 on Monday at the Branson Creek Invitational in Hollister, Mo., to open a seven-shot lead over tournament host Southwest Missouri.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Five Huskers are in the top 13 individually in the field, and Nebraska’s two-round total of 583 puts them ahead of SMS (590), followed by Illinois State (601), Western Illinois (6123) and Northern Iowa (617).

 

Nebraska was led on Monday by sophomore Ryan Lenahan who completed two rounds of play at one-under par 141 on the par-71, 6,942-yard Branson Creek Golf Club layout. Lenahan opened the tournament with a 72 in the morning, but responded with a two-under 69 in the second round. His 141 total is two shots better than teammate Brady Schnell and Matt Sullivan of SMS, who sit at 143 after two rounds. Schnell opened the tournament with a 75, but rebounded with a 68 in the second round, the low round of Monday’s action.

 

Junior Judd Cornell is in a tie for seventh place at 149 after rounds of 76 and 73, while freshman Tyler Bishop is the fourth Husker in the top 10 at 150 after rounds of 76 and 74. Bishop is competing in the tournament as an individual. Sophomore Drew Reynolds held the first-round lead after a 71, but slipped to an 80 in the afternoon and is in 13th place at 151. Freshman Chris Bruening rounds out the Nebraska lineup in 33rd place at 158 (75-83).

 

Nebraska will be going for its second tournament crown of the 2004-05 season. The Huskers captured the Fairway Club Invitational at Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln to open the year and have since posted five top-five finishes. Nebraska is coming off a tie for second place in the CU-Stevinson Ranch Invitational in its last outing on March 21-22.

 

The tournament concludes with 18 holes on Tuesday morning at Branson Creek Golf Club.

 

Note: The golf team was without Head Coach Bill Spangler who remained in Lincoln with his wife, Alesia, who gave birth to their second daughter, Elsa Katherine.

 

Team Scoring

1. Nebraska                   293-290?583

2. SW Missouri              300-290?590

3. Illinois State               299-302?601

4. Western Illinois          303-310?613

5. Northern Iowa             305-312?617

6. Oral Roberts              313-310?623

7. St. Louis                   308-316?624

8. South Dakota State    329-323?652

9. Bradley                     330-327?657

10. Creighton                 326-332?658

 

Individual Leaders

1. Ryan Lenahan, Nebraska        72-69?141

2. Brady Schnell, Nebraska        75-68?143

Matt Sullivan, SW Missouri         72-71?143

4. Derek Bohlen, Northern Iowa   76-71?147

5. Matt Miller, Illinois State         75-73?148

Mauricio Tamez, Oral Roberts     74-74?148

7. Judd Cornell, Nebraska           76-73?149

Matt Maskel, Illinois State          75-74?149

 

Other Nebraska Golfers

13. Drew Reynolds                     71-80?151

33. Chris Bruening                     75-83?158