OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Sophomore
Brady Richardson (Tulsa, Okla.) and freshman
Drew Ison (Edmond, Okla.) each fired an opening-round 76 to direct the efforts of the Drake men's golf team on a rain-soaked day at the Bill Ross Intercollegiate hosted by UMKC on Monday (Oct. 13) at the Milburn Country Club.
Monday's original 36-hole format was pared down to 18 holes after persistent rain delayed the start of the tournament's opening round. The Bulldogs fought through the elements to cultivate a 314 scorecard, good for a tie with two other teams for 12th place. The leaderboard is tightly packed as fourth through 12th place is separated by only eight strokes.
“The conditions were extreme and very tough today, as difficult as you could get in a tournament,” Drake head coach Matt Lewis commented. “It has been raining since 3:00 a.m. so we played in a solid rain all day with winds gusting between 20-30 MPH over the second nine. The big thing for the guys today was to manage the rain and their gear while trying keep dry and that was challenging.”
Richardson and Ison are locked in a tie for 19th place after 18 holes.
Senior Dane Worley (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) recorded an 80 during the opening round. In his first competitive round since the 2012-13 campaign, after missing all of last season due to injury, redshirt junior Blake Huser (Altoona, Iowa) posted an 82.
Freshman Matt Lavery (Peoria, Ill.) rounded out the Bulldogs' efforts on the day with an 88.
“Brady (Richardson) and Drew (Ison) played solid for the most part today in these tough conditions,” said Lewis. “We just didn't have two more decent scores and we know what that would have done for us in the standings. We know where we stand and how closely bunched we are with other teams as eight strokes separates us from fourth place. It is going to be another day of managing the conditions and those teams that do the best tomorrow will be the most successful."
The Bill Ross Intercollegiate will conclude on Tuesday (Oct. 14) with tee times beginning the final round at 9:00 a.m.
"We see the opportunity in front of us," Lewis explained. "It is never fun to play in this weather, but that is what we are dealt with and we will go out there and take the challenge and anything can happen.”
DRAKE RESULTS: Brady Richardson (76/T-19th), Drew Ison (76/T-19th), Dane Worley (80/T-51st), Blake Huser (82/T-67th) and Matt Lavery (88/82nd).
BILL ROSS INTERCOLLEGIATE
OCT. 13, 2014 • OVERLAND PARK, KAN.
18 HOLES
1) Wichita State – 295
2) UMKC – 302
3) Kansas State – 303
4) Denver – 306
5) Arkansas State – 307
6) Oklahoma Christian – 308
7) South Dakota State – 309
8) Creighton – 310
9) Missouri State – 311
10) Nebraska – 312
11) Central Arkansas – 313
12) Drake – 314
Northern Iowa – 314
SIU Edwardsville – 314
15) Oral Roberts – 315
16) Western Illinois – 322
