Gilbert in Top-15 After Opening Round of Desert Intercollegiate

Feb. 22, 2013

Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate Classic Club // Palm Desert, Calif. Par 72 // 7,305 yards

Chris Gilbert led the Jayhawks in the first round with a 1-under 71 on Friday. Round One Results Team Leaderboard Team Score 1. TCU 277 (-11) 2. St. Mary’s 284 (-4) San Francisco 284 (-4) Texas Tech 284 (-4) 5. Oregon State 291 (+3) 6. Idaho 295 (+7) 7. Cal Poly 296 (+8) Nebraska 296 (+8) 9. Kansas 299 (+11) Wichita State 299 (+11) 11. Iowa State 300 (+12) 12. Santa Clara 301 (+13) 13. Arkansas-Little Rock 302 (+14) 14. Louisiana-Monroe 304 (+16) 15. Wyoming 308 (+20) 16. George Mason 309 (+21) Southern Utah 309 (+21) Individual Leaderboard Name Team Score 1. Julien Brun TCU 68 (-4) Clement Sordet TTU 68 (-4) 3. J. De Los Reyes SMC 69 (-3) Eli Cole TCU 69 (-3) 5. 10 tied at 70 (-2) Kansas Leaderboard Name Score T15. Chris Gilbert 71 (-1) T24. Stan Gautier 73 (+1) T57. Alex Gutesha* 76 (+4) T64. Ryley Haas 77 (+5) T64. Dylan McClure* 77 (+5) T70. Jackson Foth 78 (+6) T88. Bryce Brown 81 (+9) *Competing as an individual

First Round Results

PALM DESERT, Calif. – Kansas senior Chris Gilbert fired three birdies on the back nine including two on par-3s to finish the opening round of the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate as the only Jayhawk under par at the Classic Club Friday. Gilbert’s 1-under 71 put him in a tie for 15^th near the top of a congested leaderboard and the Jayhawks were tied for ninth in the 17-team field after shooting a combined 299 (+11).

Gilbert, a native of nearby Simi Valley, Calif., performed his best on the short holes during the first of three days of competition to start the spring for KU, knocking in two birdies on the two backside par-3s after shooting even par on holes No. 2 and No. 6. He wrapped two birdies around two bogeys to start the back nine before stringing together five bogey-free holes – including a two on par-3, No. 17 – to finish three strokes off the lead shared by TCU’s Julien Brun (68) and Texas Tech’s Clement Sordet (68). Thirty-five golfers, including KU’s Stan Gautier, remained within five strokes of the top position.

In addition to Gilbert’s team-leading ninth round under par during the 2012-13 school year, Kansas counted scores from Gautier (1-over 73), Ryley Haas (5-over 77) and freshman Jackson Foth (6-over 78) to tie with Wichita State at 11-over for the day. The Jayhawks and Shockers were three strokes behind Cal Poly and Nebraska for seventh, and 22 strokes behind tournament leader TCU (277). All five TCU golfers shot 2-under or better for the day.

Gautier, a sophomore from Paris, France, appeared to be on his way to joining Gilbert in the red by shooting even par on the front nine and knocking in a birdie on par-4 No. 13, but two bogeys in the final five holes left him one over par. Gautier was tied with 12 other golfers for 24^th after the first round.

Haas started the day with a double bogey on his first hole, but put together five bogey-free holes to finish his round, including a birdie on par-5 No. 18 to walk into the clubhouse with some positive momentum. He tied Kansas teammate Dylan McClure, who is competing as an individual, for 64^th after the first 18 holes.

A freshman competing in the fourth event of his career, Foth birdied No. 4 en route to shooting even par through the front nine, but ran into a bit of trouble down the final stretch with three bogeys and a double bogey over the last five holes. Foth ended Friday tied for 70^th.

Bryce Brown, the fifth member of KU’s scoring team, shot a 9-over 81 and the Jayhawks’ other individual, Alex Gutesha, carded a 4-over 76 to sit near the middle of the field. Gutesha was Kansas’ highest finisher at this same event in 2011.

Play continues with 18 holes on Saturday and 18 holes on Sunday.

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