BALTIMORE, Md. – The Purdue men's golf team struggled early and late in the first round of the Big Ten Championships held at the Baltimore Country Club.
The Boilermakers tallied a 5-over par 285 to finish round one in 12th place, currently 15 shots behind leader Illinois, but just eight shots behind second-place Indiana. Only four schools were under par (UCLA at 2-under par; Oregon at 1-under par) and the Boilermakers are just five shots out of fifth place entering tomorrow's big second round.
The Boilermakers are looking for their first Big Ten Championship since 1981, but have much ground to catch up on Saturday and Sunday.
Purdue started slow, being 4-over par through the first four holes after Purdue started on the back nine. Purdue started making birdies, moving to as low as 2-under par through 10 holes, but then struggled on what was playing the easiest stretch on the course – holes 4, 5 and 6 – playing the three holes in a combined 4-over par, before settling in at 5-over par 285.
The Boilermakers' counting team played the seven-easiest holes on the course, the holes that averaged an under-par score in round one, in a combined 5-over par, while playing the rest of the course in even-par.
Leading the Boilermakers in round one was sophomore Sam Easterbrook with a 1-under par 69. Easterbrook played his first three holes in par-birdie-bogey-birdie, then managed to par the remaining 14 holes for his 19th round this season of par or better.
He now has 11 rounds in the 60s, tied for the second most in a season in school history.
Jenson Forrester recorded three birdies, four bogeys and 11 pars for a 1-over par 71, sitting in the top 30 after round one.
Kent Hsiao was 2-under par through 13 holes, before running into trouble on the par-4 5th hole with a double-bogey, after a fluky mishit cost him two strokes. He would go on to bogey two of the final four holes for a 2-over par 72.
Nels Surtani fired a 3-over par 73, while Supapon Amornchaichan shot a 4-over par 74.
Purdue will be paired with Rutgers and No. 26 Northwestern in Saturday's second round, teeing off at 9 a.m. ET, off hole 10.
The Boilermakers tallied a 5-over par 285 to finish round one in 12th place, currently 15 shots behind leader Illinois, but just eight shots behind second-place Indiana. Only four schools were under par (UCLA at 2-under par; Oregon at 1-under par) and the Boilermakers are just five shots out of fifth place entering tomorrow's big second round.
The Boilermakers are looking for their first Big Ten Championship since 1981, but have much ground to catch up on Saturday and Sunday.
Purdue started slow, being 4-over par through the first four holes after Purdue started on the back nine. Purdue started making birdies, moving to as low as 2-under par through 10 holes, but then struggled on what was playing the easiest stretch on the course – holes 4, 5 and 6 – playing the three holes in a combined 4-over par, before settling in at 5-over par 285.
The Boilermakers' counting team played the seven-easiest holes on the course, the holes that averaged an under-par score in round one, in a combined 5-over par, while playing the rest of the course in even-par.
Leading the Boilermakers in round one was sophomore Sam Easterbrook with a 1-under par 69. Easterbrook played his first three holes in par-birdie-bogey-birdie, then managed to par the remaining 14 holes for his 19th round this season of par or better.
He now has 11 rounds in the 60s, tied for the second most in a season in school history.
Jenson Forrester recorded three birdies, four bogeys and 11 pars for a 1-over par 71, sitting in the top 30 after round one.
Kent Hsiao was 2-under par through 13 holes, before running into trouble on the par-4 5th hole with a double-bogey, after a fluky mishit cost him two strokes. He would go on to bogey two of the final four holes for a 2-over par 72.
Nels Surtani fired a 3-over par 73, while Supapon Amornchaichan shot a 4-over par 74.
Purdue will be paired with Rutgers and No. 26 Northwestern in Saturday's second round, teeing off at 9 a.m. ET, off hole 10.