On a day when low scores were available, Seattle University was able to take some advantage of the conditions, ending Thursday’s first round in 12th place at the Desert Shootout, hosted by the University of Denver at the Palm Valley Golf Club.
Ross Kukula (Ocean Park, Wash.) was Seattle U’s top golfer in the first round, collecting three birdies against just one bogey to post a score of two-under-par 70, currently in a tie for 14th place. It is Kukula’s seventh round under par this year, including his second straight round of 70 after earning the same score in the final round of the Sacramento State Intercollegiate last week.
Luka Karaula (Zapresic, Croatia) also earned three birdies as he shot one-over-par 73 to end the day in a tie for 37th place. Patrick Sato (Bellevue, Wash.) finished with three birdies, while Kyle Cornett (Mill Creek, Wash.) collected two birdies as both of them shot 74 (+2) to end up in a tie for 45th place. Joe Harvie (Orting, Wash.) recovered from a string of three bad holes with two birdies to post 75 (+3), moving into a tie for 55th place.
As a team, Seattle U combined for a score of 291 (+3) to land in 12th place, but the Redhawks are just seven strokes behind Denver and Tulsa, who are tied for fourth place. Kansas and Wichita State are tied for the lead at 278 (-10) after the opening round, with Colton Staggs of Tulsa and Brock Drogosch of Kansas sitting atop the individual leaderboard after rounds of 66 (-6).
The second round of the Desert Shootout is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m., with players teeing off from the first and 10th holes.