Gilbert in Eighth Place After 36 Holes at Cowboy Classic

April 9, 2012

Cowboy Classic Round 2

Cowboy Classic Round 1

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Chris Gilbert and Dylan McClure each fired rounds of 66 (-4) at Talking Stick Golf Club Monday to lead Kansas men’s golf to a ninth-place standing with a score of 561 (+1) after 36 holes of the 23-team Cowboy Classic.

Gilbert’s bogey-free 66 placed him in the top five through round one, and he finished the day in a tie for eighth after carding a 70 in the second round for a 36-hole aggregate of 136 (-4).

“Chris played really well, but it was the same deal,” said Kansas head coach Kit Grove, referring to Gilbert’s final round at the Irish Creek Collegiate where he consistently hit the ball within 15 feet but only made one birdie. “Tee to green, he is playing really solid golf. He’s just not converting on the putts. I just wish he had that one day where he putted well because I think it would get him over the hump. Golf is so mental, and putting is probably the biggest mental part of the game other than course strategy. It’s not that his stroke is mechanically inferior or anything like that. Just seeing the ball go in the hole, it would be nice if he had a day where his putter got hot, and it took a little pressure off the rest of his game.”

McClure’s 66 marked the best round of the afternoon for the Jayhawks. The freshman from Justin, Texas, had a rough start to his day, bogeying four of his first six holes. However, he recovered nicely to post a 72 (+2) in the morning, which he followed up with six birdies and two bogeys in the second round. McClure’s two-round total of 138 (-2) tied him for 20th place at the end of the first day.

“Dylan’s 66 bailed us out in the afternoon,” said Grove. “He actually bogeyed his first hole of the second round, so to be able to keep that head down and shoot 4-under is pretty good. In the morning, he was 4-over right out of the gate and fought back to play his last 12 holes 2-under. Playing 6-under golf after a bad start is all you can ask out of a freshman.”

Another freshman, David Auer, also had a good afternoon, matching Gilbert’s 70 for the second-best score by a KU golfer. The efforts of McClure, Gilbert and Auer helped Kansas climb three spots as a team in the afternoon, but the Jayhawks’ fourth-best individual score of 75 (+5) in the second round left room for improvement on the final day.

“It’s a little disappointing to have to count a 5-over par on that golf course,” said Grove. “It was perfect conditions, and it’s a very scoreable golf course. David shot a 70, so that was nice for him to come back and help after being the high round in the morning. Overall, everybody contributed today, but giving a couple away at the end leaves a bad taste in your mouth.”

Kansas will tee off its final round of the Cowboy Classic at 9:30 a.m. Central.