Amazing round brings golfers closer to top

Friday, May 29, 1998

Amazing round brings golfers closer to top

MEN’S GOLF: Bruins break record, start climb out

of 15th-place sand trap

By Moin Salahuddin

Daily Bruin Contributor

The NCAA men’s golf championships are currently underway in
Albuquerque, N.M., with the UCLA Bruins eyeing a chance to win
their second national title.

The NCAA Championships, held at the 7,151-yard par-72 University
of New Mexico Championship Course, began Wednesday and ends
Saturday.

Oklahoma State led after the first round, with a team score of
10 under par (278). The 20th-ranked Bruins were tied with Pac-10
rival Arizona State for 15th (289) until the amazing happened.

UCLA was in a precarious position, due to the fact that only the
top 15 teams (plus ties) are allowed to advance past the second
round of play.

But then the Bruins roared back Thursday in the second round
killing the course, by shooting as a team, 13 under par, a school
record. The incredible round of golf moved the Bruins up to fourth
place and in easy striking distance of first.

After Thursday, the Bruins were tied with the first round
leader, Oklahoma State and UNLV holds a five-stroke lead.

"I know what we are capable of doing," B. J. Schlagenhauf said.
"If we can play at the level we have been all year, we should
challenge most of the top teams in the nation."

Helping UCLA tear up the green were four players who all shot
under par: Brandon Ditullio, Ross Fulgentis, Schlagenhauf and Jeff
McGraw.

Trailing the Running Rebels by five strokes, the Bruins could
easily capture the championship. UCLA has grabbed five tournament
titles in only 11 outings, while skyrocketing in the MasterCard
rankings to 20th. Led by the experienced trio of DiTullio,
Schlagenhauf and Jason Semelsberger, the Bruins won many
prestigious tournaments, including the ASU Thunderbird/Savane
Invitational. That invitational featured many of the top teams that
are currently competing in the NCAA Championships.

Along with the trio previously mentioned are freshman phenoms
McGraw and Fulgentis. Each has averaged 74 strokes per round and
have placed in the top 25 individually several times.

It has been an up and down year for the Bruins who placed
seventh in the NCAA West Regionals to get a shot at winning the
NCAA championship tournament. But after the first day the Bruins
looked to be stuck in a sand trap without a sand wedge.

"It’s up to us to put the golf ball in the hole with as few
strokes as possible," Schlagenhauf said. "All we have to do is be
sharp and on our game."

And that is exactly what the Bruins did to regain their dream of
winning it all.

It is as simple as that, or so it seems.