COON RAPIDS, Minn. — The Saint Mary's University of Minnesota men's golf team headed into the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships brimming with confidence.
Unfortunately for the Cardinals, the opening round of the 54-hole season-ending tournament was not what coach
Greg Moore was hoping for.
The Cardinals, who had put together a pair of sub-300 team scores and had not posted a team total of more than 330 this season, struggled to a 337 first-round score, leaving them sitting in 10th place heading into Sunday's second round at Bunker Hills Golf Course.
Blake Westerberg (Red Wing, Minn.) continued his streak of not posting a score higher than 79 this season, carding a seven-over 79 to pace the Cardinal attack.
Brett Jackson (Edmonton, Alberta) finished with an 85, followed by
Connor Brandt (Woodbury, Minn. / 86),
David Iten (Fridley, Minn. / 87), and
Kyle Brodt (Roseville, Minn. / 92).
Augsburg, paced by first-round leader Dakota Krech—who carded a three-under 69—fired an opening-round 292 to take a nine-shot lead over second-place St. Thomas. Gustavus (304), Bethel (306), and Saint John's (3100 rounded out the top five.
The second round of the three-day event will take place on Sunday, with the final 18 holes being played on Monday.
