By: Tim Flynn
Live Leaderboard
LAKEWOOD, Colo. - Colorado School of Mines holds a seven-shot lead after 18 holes as they began the 2023-24 college golf season at The Writz at Mile High at Bear Creek.
The Orediggers had a terrific +3 team day in the tournament's play-six-count-five format led by
Owen Cornmesser's career-best 69, with
Max Lange,
Lukas Taggart, and
Carter Lolli joining him in the individual top ten overnight.
Mines leads Colorado Christian (+11) and CSU Pueblo (+15) on the leaderboard. The Orediggers recorded a five-man score of 363.
Cornmesser went bogey-free and spread three birdies throughout his day to record the best round of his career and get to -3, one shot off the lead of Colorado Christian's Adam Duncan; they were two of only three players under par, along with CSU Pueblo's Paraic McGrath, on a breezy and occasionally wet Sunday on the challenging Bear Creek track.
Lange is fourth at even par after a 72, marking three birdies and as many bogeys, while both Taggart and Lolli shot 73s to be +1 in a tie for fifth. Taggart had an even-par back nine, while Lolli rallied from a two-over front side with three birdies in his last nine holes.
Theodore Reitter is Mines' fifth scorer at +4, shooting 76 to be tied for 18th.
Ethan Adam was Mines' non-counter with a 79, tied for 42nd.
Mines' two individuals didn't complete the first round due to darkness;
Lucas Schulte is +5 through 16 holes in a tie for 27th, and
Charlie Tran, in his Mines debut, is +6 through 16 tied for 35th. They will wrap up their first rounds before Monday's second round tee times.
Round 2 pairings and tee times will be posted on the live leaderboard linked above.