(CU Independent graphic/Adam Milner)
The tournament, a mere 12 miles east of campus, is at Colorado National Golf Club and marks the first time in nearly two decades that CU has hosted one.
The Buffs ranked first after a tightly matched Sunday round, ahead of 13 other teams.
No. 16 New Mexico is four strokes above Colorado State at the number one spot.
Senior Luke Symons is tied for second individually with a combined score of 142. He is currently three strokes behind points leader Mark Hubbard from San Jose State.
Head coach Roy Edwards is in his third year after replacing the Invitational’s namesake: former CU coach Mark Simpson.
Simpson started the job in 1977 and didn’t clock out until his untimely passing from lung cancer in December 2005.
“Well, it was certainly great to be competing at home for the first time since 1993,” Edwards said. “We caught a bunch of wind in the middle of the morning round and did a good job of toughing it out, but in the afternoon, the conditions were much better for scoring.”
After two consecutive rounds of 294, the Buffs are now 12 strokes out of first place after holding the fort for a day.
Symons pointed out the team’s ability to make up the stroke differential in the last round.
“We need to take it low tomorrow,” Symons said. “Every guy on the team, including myself, feels we can get a couple of shots back. If we can do that, we can make a big comeback. We’re more than capable of putting a 276 on the scoreboard like New Mexico did today.”
The final round is scheduled for an 8 a.m., bright and early Tuesday morning.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Michael Krumholtz at Michael.krumholtz@Colorado.edu.
