RJGA Palm Valley Classic
Monday-Tuesday - hosted by the RJGA & Western New Mexico - Palm Valley GC - Goodyear, Ariz. [Live Leaderboard]

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MINES RETURNS TO COLORADO FOR THE SAM PROAL
Colorado School of Mines golf wraps up the regular season in Arizona, competing in the RJGA Palm Valley Classic at Palm Valley Golf Club in Goodyear. The 54-hole tournament begins Monday with a 7:30 a.m. PT shotgun start with Mines paired with Hawaii Pacific, Simon Fraser, and Colorado Mesa, with the final round on Tuesday morning. 

THE TOURNAMENT
The RJGA Palm Valley Classic brings together 20 teams from the South Central and West regions in what will be the regular-season finale for the Orediggers. The 54-hole event has become a staple on Mines' spring schedule, having played in it each year since 2021 including a best-ever third-place finish last year. A live leaderboard will be available on GolfStat.

LAST TIME OUT
Lukas Taggart's under-par finish led Colorado School of Mines to a fourth-place showing at the Sam Proal Invitational at Pueblo Country Club on Tuesday. Taggart moved up the leaderboard with his one-under 70 in the final round, taking him to -1 for the tournament and a tie for 11th place. Colt Tenpenny finished T16, while Liam Allan and Lucas Schulte remained tied at T31 and Enzo Martínez was T74. 

THE FORECAST
Monday will be a welcome overcast day in Arizona with highs around 89 and increasing winds, while Tuesday will be calmer with highs in the mid-90s under sunny skies. 

THE COURSE
Palm Valley has been an Oredigger destination for a number of years, holding 27 holes across its North, South, and West courses. An Arthur Hills design, Palm Valley opened in 1993 and plays around 7,000 yards depending on the nines used. 

IN THE POLLS
The Orediggers have work to do in the Scoreboard rankings to make the top 10 in the South Central region, currently ranked 11th. Opportunity awaits Mines, however, as five regionally-ranked teams are in this week's field - CSU Pueblo (#2), Colorado Mesa (#6), Midwestern State (#8), UT Tyler (#9), and Cameron (#10) - to give the Orediggers a chance at important head-to-head victories.

LOOKING AHEAD
Mines will play in the RMAC Championships on April 19-21 in Boulder City, Nev.
 

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MINES LINEUP - RJGA Palm Valley Classic
1. Colt Tenpenny (Sr.)
Coming off top spring finish with a T16 at the Sam Proal Invitational … Has two top-10s in five starts including fourth at the Bob Writz Individual and T9 at the San Juan Intercollegiate … Second on the team averaging 73.6.
3. Lukas Taggart (Sr.)
Has four top-25 finishes this season … Notched 10th career under-par finish with a -1 T11 at the Sam Proal … RMAC Golfer of the Week after the Bob Writz Invitational … Finished as the runner-up at that tournament at -3.
3. Liam Allan (Fr.)
Coming off T31 performance at the Sam Proal Invitational… Co-leads team with three top-10s this year … Shot 64 in the San Juan second round, Mines' low round of the year and best round since 2016. 
4. Enzo Martínez (Fr.)
Has been Mines' top finisher in two of the last three outings including T8 at the Midwestern State Invitational … Has a team-low 73.6 average … Co-leads team with three top-10s … Shot a career-low 65 in the final round at Midwestern State.
5. Lucas Schulte (R-Sr.)
Top spring finish was T32 at the Regional Preview … Had a season-best T15 finish at the Bob Writz Individual … Was also T24 at the San Juan Intercollegiate and T28 at the Shootout at PGA Riviera Maya.
Ind. Giacomo Gaggero (Fr.)
Finished T31 as an individual at last week's Sam Proal Invitational … Was T9 at the Writz Individual for career-best finish … Averaging 74.4.