Three players at Colorado-based schools posted top-20 finishes Wednesday in the stroke-play portion of the Men’s NCAA Division II Finals in Muscle Shoals, Ala.
Colorado Springs resident Colin Prater, the 2016 CGA Amateur champion, concluded his college career at Colorado-Colorado Springs by placing 12th individually. Also tied for 12th was another Coloradan and a senior, Josh Gardella of Colorado Christian. Gardella closed with a 3-under-par 69 on Wednesday, while Prater (pictured) had a bogey-free 70, both good for a 4-under 212 total for three rounds. They finished 13 strokes behind individual winner John VanDerLaan of Florida Southern.
And the Colorado School of Mines’ George Markham, a junior from Phoenix, ended up 20th Wedneday at 215. He played his final 11 holes in 2 under par after going 7 over in a four-hole stretch en route to a final-round 76.
The top eight team finishers in stroke play will advance to match play, and UCCS ended up in the ninth spot, though the Mountain Lions were nine strokes out of eighth place.
Colorado Christian, making its first NCAA Division II Finals appearance, placed 16th in the 20-team field.
Men’s NCAA Division II Finals
May 21-23, 2018 (final) in Muscle Shoals, Ala.
9. (out of 20 teams) Colorado-Colorado Springs 298-293-286–877
12. Colin Prater 71-71-70–212
39. Tanner Comes 77-71-72–220
44. Ji Jang 75-75-71–221
63. Jack Duguid 75-76-73–224
95. Isaac Spillum 80-77-78–235
16. Colorado Christian 303-296-299–898
12. Josh Gardella 70-73-69–212
63. Nolan Backman 73-73-78–224
85. Noah Woolsey 80-76-75–231
92. Chase Carlson 82-74-77–233
106. Eric Oneth 80-80-89–249
Also
20. George Markham, Colorado School of Mines 70-69-76–215
