LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Cal (288-283 – 571, -5) moved up three spots into a tie for fourth place at the conclusion of second-round action at the Southern Highlands Collegiate Masters. The Golden Bears' five-under par score Tuesday was tied for the third-best of the day at the prestigious 15-team event that includes 11 of the nation's top-25 clubs and is hosted by UNLV at the Southern Highlands Golf Club.
The only teams ahead of the Golden Bears after 36 holes are second-round leader Oklahoma State (280-278 – 558, -18), first-round leader Texas (276-284 – 560, -16) and USC (287-283 – 570, -6). Oklahoma (281-290 – 571, -5) is tied with the Bears.
“It was a good solid day,” head coach Steve Desimone said. “We're in great company on the leaderboard with top-10 teams all around us. It's too bad that Oklahoma State and Texas decided to have their own little twosome and have kind of ran away and hid, but great teams get going like that. It will be an interesting day tomorrow.”
“This was a continuation of what we've been trying to do all year, which is to gain experience and confidence, and be as competitive as we possibly can. We seem to be doing that well,” Desimone added. “This once again shows that we are a very competitive team. We may be young, but we're getting better and we have a very bright future.”
KK Limbhasut (72-70 – 142, -2) and Alexander Wilson (71-71 – 142) are top Cal players on the leaderboard after the first two rounds in a tie for 16th. The duo is six strokes behind the pace established by second-round leaders Redford Bobbitt of UNLV (65-71 – 136, -8) and Robby Shelton of Alabama (67-69 – 136, -8). Bobbitt is playing in the event as an individual.
Limbhasut, who is looking to record his team-high sixth top-15 finish in nine events this season, had a bogey on the par-four first but birdied three of his final six holes on the front nine (3, 8, 9). He would par every hole on the back nine.
“We hung tough and stuck to our game plan today,” Limbhasut said. “Our game plan is designed not to make big mistakes and we are executing that really well so far. This is one of the best fields in college golf so we would need an incredible round of golf tomorrow to win but anything can happen on this difficult golf course.”
Wilson had a bogey (5) before a pair of birdies (7, 12) to go along with his 15 pars that were one more than Limbhasut.
“The game plan we have set up at the moment is becoming more and more important to stick to as the course is getting firmer,” Wilson added. “If we keep the ball on the center of the fairways and greens there is nothing stopping us from shooting up the leaderboard. Obviously, we'd need a lot of help from Oklahoma State and Texas to catch up but around this golf course anything can happen.”
Sebastian Crampton (75-70 – 145, +1) and Shotaro Ban (73-72 – 145, +1) are tied for 33rd, while Cameron Shaw (72-75 – 147, +3) is tied for 49th.
Crampton had three birdies (4, 6, 13) and one bogey (17) as he matched Limbhasut for the team's top score of the day. Ban had three birdies (8, 9, 14) and three bogeys (3, 6, 17), while Shaw's scorecard included two birdies (10, 11), three bogeys (6, 9, 18) and the Bears' only double bogey of the day (15).
“The team played very steady all day long,” Crampton said. “We didn't make any mistakes, but we also didn't fully take advantage of some of the opportunities that were given to us. In order to move up the leaderboard, we need to stay patient because the course will only play tougher tomorrow. A victory as a team would certainly take something special tomorrow, but it is golf and anything can happen when the course is this demanding.”
The 54-hole event concludes Wednesday with the first tee times scheduled for 8 a.m. PST.
SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS COLLEGIATE MASTERS (HOSTED BY UNLV)
LAS VEGAS, NV
SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS GOLF CLUB (PAR 72, 7374 YARDS)
TEAM LEADERBOARD (after 2 of 3 days/2 of 3 rounds/36 of 54 holes)
1. Oklahoma State (280-278 – 558, -18)
2. Texas (276-284 – 560, -16)
3. USC (287-283 – 570, -6)
T4. Oklahoma (281-290 – 571, -5)
T4. Cal (288-283 – 571, -5)
T6. Texas Tech (290-282 – 572, -4)
T6. Illinois (283-289 – 572, -4)
8. Arizona State (286-289 – 575, -1)
T9. UCLA (294-284 – 578, +2)
T9. UNLV (288-290 – 578, +2)
11. Alabama (288-295 – 583, +7)
T12. Georgia (293-293 – 586, +10)
T12. SMU (299-287 – 586, +10)
14. Texas A&M (292-297 – 589, +13)
15. TCU (293-297 – 590, +14)
PLAYER LEADERBOARD – CO-INDIVIDUAL LEADERS (after 2 of 3 days/2 of 3 rounds/36 of 54 holes)
^T1. Redford Bobbitt (UNLV) 65-71 – 136 (-8)
T1. Robby Shelton (Alabama) 67-69 – 136 (-8)
^playing as individual
PLAYER LEADERBOARD – CAL INDIVIDUALS (after 2 of 3 days/2 of 3 rounds/36 of 54 holes)
T16. KK Limbhasut (72-70 – 142, -2)
T16. Alexander Wilson (71-71 – 142, -2)
T33. Sebastian Crampton (75-70 – 145, +1)
T33. Shotaro Ban (73-72 – 145, +1)
T49. Cameron Shaw (72-75 – 147, +3)
