CU men’s golf dominates Air Force at Ballyneal Challenge

Written by Jessica Malknecht in Golf, Sports on Sep 5, 2012 22:12 / comments

At the Ballyneal Challenge in Holyoke, Colo., on Tuesday, the CU men’s golf team came out strong against Air Force.

CU senior Jason Burstyn shot a 4-under par in the first round and a 2-under par in the second round, earning the top spot at the tournament and claiming medalist honors. The Ballyneal Challenge was an individual competition between Colorado and the Air Force Academy, as opposed to the usual team competition.

(CU Independent/Josh Shettler)

In the second round of the tournament, Burstyn was 5-under after the front nine. With the rigorous terrain and nonstop winds of the back nine, Burstyn closed with a 70 to finish the two-round event at Ballyneal with a cumulative score of 138.

In the two rounds he managed to rack up a total of ten birdies, seven in the first round and three in the second. In the end Burstyn’s overall score of 138 was enough to hold the top spot and claim the crown of yesterdays match. This is Burstyn’s first collegiate win and third top-5 finish.

Burstyn was the leader after the first round and took second place in the second round, just one stroke behind teammate Phillip Juel-Berg, a recently recruited freshman from Copenhagen, Denmark. Juel-Berg finished with an impressive overall score of 139 (70-69), just one stroke behind Burstyn. He had two eagles in the two-round tournament. Coming to 3 over par after the first 10 holes, Juel-Berg rallied and came back with an incredible finish at 6 under par.

The grueling winds did not prove to be much of a problem for the Buffs men, who claimed the top six spots at the tournament in Burstyn (138), Juel-Berg (139), David Oraee (145), Tyler Engel (146), and tied for fifth Beau Schoolcraft (148) and Derek Fibbs (148).

The next CU men’s golf tournament takes place on Sunday, Sept. 9 and Monday, Sept. 10 at the 44th Annual Gene Miranda-Air Force Falcon Invitational at the Eisenhower Golf Club in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Jessica Malknecht at [email protected]