The second annual Ram Masters Invitational featured a wide array of storylines, ranging from the rare to the fulfilling to the heartbreaking.
On the rare side, the tournament that ended Tuesday at Fort Collins Country Club included each of the last three head coaches of the Colorado State men’s golf team — second-year CSU coach Christian Newton (current) and former helmsmen Mark Crabtree (now at Louisville) and Jamie Bermel (Kansas).
As for fulfilling, the University of Denver men notched their first team victory since April 2011, when the Pioneers won the Sun Belt Conference title. And both of the co-champs in the individual competition — CSU junior Cameron Harrell and DU’s Oskar Arvidsson — posted their first individual victory in college. (The two are pictured above, with Arvidsson at left.)
On the heartbreaking end, CSU not only lost its home tournament by a single stroke for the second straight year, but extenuating circumstances on Tuesday made it even more painful this time. A one-stroke penalty incurred on the final hole by freshman Jimmy Makloski of Pueblo, the 2012 CGA Junior Stroke Play champion who was making his college debut, made the difference between CSU finishing second or playing off against DU for the title.
“You hate to see that,” DU coach Eric Hoos said. “Honestly, I would much rather have had a tie and go into a playoff. But that speaks volumes about the character of Jimmy and to their program that he called (the penalty) on himself. That’s what this game is about. I don’t think that always happens out there. Class kid, class program. I’m sorry for him.”
Colorado State led for most of the final day, but with DU done with its round and just Makloski and Harrell’s groups left on the course Tuesday, the Rams were tied with Denver after Harrell made a 5-foot birdie on 17.
Though Makloski had bogeyed his previous two holes, he had a 4-foot birdie attempt on No. 18. After getting some help lining up the putt from assistant coach Bret Guetz, Makloski addressed the ball — and the ball subsequently changed position. Makloski backed off, said something to Guetz (pictured at left), and rules official Rich Langston was called in. Langston told them it would be a one-stroke penalty — and to replace the ball.
Makloski then missed the short putt and finished with a bogey. And when Harrell, in the final group, recorded a par, CSU had fallen a shot short of the top spot for the second consecutive year.
“I still should have collected myself better mentally after (the penalty) and made it and we should have been in a playoff,” said Makloski, who placed 22nd in his first college event. “I guess it’s something to learn from.”
Asked if he takes anything from doing the right thing and calling the infraction on himself, Makloski said, “It kind of makes me feel a little better, but it’s still tough because one shot made a big difference today.”
DU (pictured at left), which started the final round in seventh place and 11 out of the lead in the 15-team event, put together a stellar score on Tuesday to rally for the victory. The Pioneers’ 8-under-par 272 was the best score of the tournament by five strokes and left them at 7-over 847 overall, one better than CSU, which closed with a 284.
Denver recorded three scores in the 60s on Tuesday, including a 64 (by Arvidsson), a 65 (by junior Victor Doka, who finished fifth) and a 69 (by senior Ole Ramsnes, who placed 24th).
“With the conditions out there — a wet, long golf course — it’s a really special round,” Hoos said.
In all, Colorado-based schools put four players in the top 10 individually — Harrell, Arvidsson, Doka and Northern Colorado’s Steven Kupcho, who shared 10th place.
Harrell (pictured at left), who hails from Colorado Springs, went 67-67 in the last two rounds to gain a share of his first college victory. He posted a 6-under 204 total along with Arvidsson.
Perhaps not coincidentally, Harrell’s co-championship came at the same course where he qualified for the U.S. Amateur earlier this summer. Harrell said he’s probably played Fort Collins Country Club about 100 times over the years, and the CSU team often uses the course as a qualifying site.
“Coming out here and qualifying every day, you get more and more comfortable because I feel this course takes a lot to get comfortable with it,” said Harrell, who made nine birdies in the final two rounds. “It’s just a huge advantage for us to be out here every day with these greens, this course.
“Hopefully more tournaments are here. It’s fun to dominate the field because I know a lot of people don’t like coming here. I’m fine with that.”
This kind of performance is exactly what Newton has told Harrell he’s capable of.
“This is what we’ve been telling him he is,” Newton said. “For it to finally come to fruition is obviously huge for us. This is a big springboard for his year. This is how good Cam is.”
As for Arvidsson (pictured at left), a fourth-year player from Sweden who’s been a mainstay for DU, he likewise showed his stuff on Tuesday by carding an eagle, five birdies and a bogey en route to a 64.
“It feels great,” he said. “I know I can play well and I proved it today. It gives me good confidence for the upcoming tournaments.”
The Ram Masters Invitational marked DU’s season opener, which Hoos hopes bodes well for the Pioneers.
“It’s been a while since we won, and it makes it even more special to start the season with a win,” the veteran coach said. “You have some seniors and juniors on this team who have worked hard a lot of years here. It’s nice to see them get a reward like this.”
Conversely, it stings some for CSU to absorb finishing second — by one stroke — two straight years at its own event.
“Obviously it is hard to swallow,” Newton said. “But you want to look at it as a big, giant picture. We’re not going to take snapshots of the year. I’m real proud of the guys. We played just terrible down at Air Force last week (placing 12th). For us just to be in the situation we were (today), I’m pretty proud as a coach.
“For Jimmy (Makloski), this is golf. That’s what happens. I’m just proud of him for his integrity, just stepping up, being a man and being accountable for what happened.”
Ram Masters Invitational
Sept. 16-17, 2013 at Par-70 Fort Collins CC
1. Denver 287-288-272–847
T1. Oskar Arvidsson 72-68-64–204; 5. Victor Doka 71-73-65–209; 24. Ole Ramsnes 72-76-69–217; 53. Arthy Edelman 72-73-78–223; 64. Patrick Frodigh 79-74-74–227. Competing only as Individual: 53. Petter Mikalsen 76-71-76–223.
2. Colorado State 280-284-284–848
T1. Cameron Harrell 70-67-67–204; 15. Dominic Kieffer 67-75-72–214; 15. Parker Edens 72-72-70–214; 22. Jimmy Makloski 71-70-75–216; 53. Brett Wilson 73-75-75–223. Competing only as Individuals: 62. Patrick Winther 80-73-73–226; 71. Alec Bone 77-73-78–228.
9. Northern Colorado 287-287-293–867
10. Steven Kupcho 70-72-70–212; 34. Ben Krueger 74-73-72–219; 41. Steve Connell 72-76-73–221; 50. Conner Barr 71-73-78–222; 71. Jack Cummings 79-69-80–228. Competing only as Individual: 71. Austin Lowe 77-73-78–228.
