Huskers Capture Second Tournament Title of Season

The Nebraska men’s golf team posted a final-round score of 295 on Tuesday in the Branson Creek Golf Invitational in Hollister, Mo., and finished 54 holes with an 878 team total, good for a two-shot victory over host Southwest Missouri which finished second at 880.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

The Huskers carried a seven-shot advantage into today’s action after rounds of 293 and 290 on Monday. Southwest Missouri made a strong charge with three scores of 73 or lower, but a career-low round of 68 by <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska sophomore Drew Reynolds allowed Nebraska to hold on for the team crown.

 

The tournament victory was the second of the 2004-05 season for Nebraska and the fifth in Bill Spangler’s four seasons as head coach. Nebraska won its own Fairway Club Invitational last September at Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln.

 

Nebraska continues to be paced by sophomore Brady Schnell, who finished in second place with a three-round total of 216. Schnell closed the tournament with a 73 on Tuesday after opening with rounds of 75 and 68 on Monday. His 216 total left him three shots behind individual champion Matt Sullivan of SMS who finished at 213, including a 70 on Tuesday. Schnell has now placed in the top six in four of five spring tournaments, including a pair of second-place finishes.

 

Reynolds’ 68 bettered his previous career low round of 69 in the fall of 2003, and tied for the second-best score of the day. He completed 54 holes with a 219 total which placed him in a tie for fifth. Sophomore Ryan Lenahan held the individual lead after 36 holes, but slipped with a 78 on Tuesday and finished in a tie with Reynolds at 219.

 

Junior Judd Cornell completed three rounds at 228 (tie 17th), including a 79 on Tuesday and freshman Chris Bruening shot a 76 on Tuesday and tied for 30th at 234 to round out the Husker team lineup. Freshman Tyler Bishop competed as an individual in the event and finished tied for 19th at 229 after a 79 on Tuesday.

 

The Huskers and Southwest Missouri easily outdistanced the rest of the 10-team field. Behind Nebraska (878) and SMS (880), IllinoisState (898), Western Illinois (903) and Northern Iowa (912) rounded out the top five in the field.

 

Team Scoring

1. Nebraska                   293-290-295?878

2. SW Missouri              300-290-290?880

3. Illinois State               299-302-297?898

4. Western Illinois          303-310-290?903

5. Northern Iowa             305-312-295?912

6. Oral Roberts              313-310-293?916

7. St. Louis                   308-316-304?928

8. South Dakota State    329-323-318?970

9. Creighton                   326-322-314?972

10. Bradley                    330-327-322?979

 

Individual Leaders

1. Matt Sullivan, SMS     72-71-70?213

2. Brady Schnell, Neb. 75-68-73?216

3. Derek Bohlen, UNI      76-71-70?217

Matt Maskel, Illinois St.  75-74-68?217

5. Nick Pyatt, SMS        72-80-67?219

Ryan Lenahan, Neb.    72-69-78?219

Drew Reynolds, Neb.   72-69-78?219

Mauricio Tamez, ORU    74-74-71?219

 

Other Nebraska Golfers

T17. Judd Cornell           76-73-79?228

T19. Tyler Bishop           76-74-79?229*

T30. Chris Bruening        75-83-76?234

*-competed as an individual