The UC Santa Barbara Golf team opened up the fall season in Albuquerque as the Gauchos competed in the second longest-running college tournament in the William H. Tucker Invitational hosted by the University of New Mexico.
“The course they played on was in phenomenal shape; the greens were firm and fast and the rough was thick,” head coach Chris Massoletti said. “If you missed in the wrong spot, making par or bogey was going to be difficult.
“Unfortunately, we put ourselves out of position more often than not. We learned a lot of lessons and a lot of our weaknesses were exposed. We have a long season ahead of us and we will get better.”
The Gauchos’ lineup hit the UNM Championship Course mixed with new and old faces as returners Blake McGovern, Jay Martinez and Julian Maxwell joined grad transfer Killian McGinley and freshman Josh Chung.
Despite their best efforts to move up the rankings during the second round, UC Santa Barbara concluded the tournament in 20th place.
McGovern finished as the team’s highest scorer, putting together rounds of 76, 73 and 76 for a total score of 225 to close out the tournament tied for 72nd.
Martinez followed up close behind, adding a score of 227.
Chung’s first tournament as a Gaucho landed him in the top three on the team as he shot the team’s lowest round of the tournament with a 71 while ending his time in Albuquerque with a 228.
The Gauchos will take the next two weeks to prepare for the Alister MacKenzie Invitational hosted by the University of California.
This two-day tournament will begin on Monday, Oct. 9 at the Meadow Club in Fairfax, Virginia.