Feb. 26, 2011
PALM DESERT, Calif.--No. 8 Texas A&M shot a 6-over 294 Saturday and leads after one round of the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate at The Classic Club in Palm Desert.
The Aggies hold a 3-shot lead over UNLV (297, +9) and are up five strokes over SMU (+11) and Santa Clara (+11). The second round was suspended due to darkness and will resume Sunday at 7 a.m. (PT), with the third and final round to follow.
"The Classic Club is one of the best courses we will see all year," head coach J.T. Higgins said. "I think it is great preparation for what we will see in the post season as it tests your physical abilities as well as your mental resolve. You cannot be greedy on this course and patience is at a premium. Because of that, I was very proud of the boys today. We had a great game plan and strategy for attacking the course and did a wonderful job of sticking to it regardless of the conditions or our score. The more often we can play under adverse conditions like cold, wet and windy weather and on difficult courses, the better we will be when it matters most. Once again, we are in contention with a good chance to win, hopefully, we can close this one out."
Colorado State (+12) is in fifth, followed by UC Santa Barbara (+13), Cal Poly (+15), Weber State (+15), Long Beach State (+16), Denver (+17), Boise State (+17), Wyoming (+17), Kansas (+19), Nebraska (+21), New Mexico (+22), Hawai'i (+22), Air Force (+23), Drake (+24), UTEP (+25) and Southern Utah (+29).
Three A&M players--seniors Nacho Elvira and Conrad Shindler, and sophomore Cameron Peck--are three shots back of the lead after each carding a 1-over 73. Junior Jordan Russell (75) is two shots back of them with senior John Hurley (76) one stroke behind Russell.
Just three players in the field of 104 shot under par on Saturday, with UNM's Tom Carlson (69, -3) leading the pack.