Sophomore Andrew Putnam bucked his recent trend of not performing well in final rounds this season with a glittering 66 to place 2nd and lead the Pepperdine men’s golf team at the USC Intercollegiate. Putnam’s 66 followed rounds of 68-71 on the 36-hole marathon Monday and put him only one stroke back from the lead going into the final round. The team finished in 6th place overall.
Putnam said he mentally took a different approach to his final round as he tried to keep himself and his thoughts in the present.
“I played and hit the ball well Putnam said. I had a stretch of holes where I didn’t play well. That probably was the difference between winning and finishing second.”
The annual tournament is held at North Ranch Country Club in Westlake Village. Pepperdine won this tournament three years ago but the men didn’t take advantage of their experience on the course as the team finished in 6th place behind tournament winner Stanford University.
“Our team effort wasn’t all there said Head Coach John Geiberger. The second nine from yesterday and the first nine today killed us but two-thirds of it was really good.”
Redshirt freshman Josh Anderson started bogey-bogey in his final round but clawed back to shoot an even par 71 to finish with a tie for 23rd place. Junior Shane Mason playing as an individual posted rounds of 70-74-74 to join Anderson in 23rd. Mason played well enough to earn a spot at the team’s next tournament.
“I’m excited to be going back to TPC Mrytle Beach which I played freshman year Mason said. It’s a great test and I hope I can use my experience there to help the team win.”
Redshirt sophomore Chad Vivolo who finished fourth at the team’s prior tournament in Arizona shot a second round 69 in between rounds of 76 and 77 to place 39th. Sophomore Austyn Karle tied for 64th after rounds of 73-81-76 while redshirt junior Carl Smith rounded out the Waves’ scoring firing a disappointing 83 in the second round and tied for 73rd.
The Waves travel east during spring break to Myrtle Beach S.C. to participate in the Jim Hackler Intercollegiate March 8-9 hosted by Coastal Carolina University.