Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell University
NCAA Regional
Waddell Posts 1-Under Score as Bucknell Men's Golf Opens NCAA Play with 299
5/17/2007 8:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
May 17, 2007
TEMPE, Ariz. - For the second year in a row the Bucknell men's golf team opened the NCAA West Regional with a solid score as the Bison shot a 299 Thursday at Arizona State's Karsten Golf Course. Senior Charlie Waddell (Wilmette, Ill./Lake Forest Academy) led the five-man Bucknell contingent with a 1-under-par 71.
The Bison, seeded 26th in the West Regional, played to their seed as they shot a +11 to finish the first day three shots ahead of Monmouth. Detroit, at +9, is just two shots ahead of the Orange and Blue and in 25th place.
Waddell and freshman Andrew Cohen (Mamaroneck, N.Y./Mamaroneck), the Patriot League Rookie of the Year, paced the Bison, who started the day on the 10th hole. Waddell carded a 71, rebounding from a 1-over-par on his first nine holes to shoot 2-under on his final nine holes. Cohen only needed a par on his final hole to match Waddell for the team lead as well as record a career-best round, but he double-bogeyed the ninth hole on the 7,057-yard course to finish at 1-over-par with a 73.
Senior Kyle Moran (Greenwich, Conn./Brunswick School), Bucknell's No. 5 player, had a strong outing as he bettered his season average with a 76. He was at +5 at the turn, but registered an impressive 1-under-par on the final nine holes to finish at +4. Birdies on back-to-back par-3 holes secured the 1-under-par on last nine holes.
Freshman Brian Bartow (Rye, N.Y./Rye Neck), playing just his ninth round of the season, registered a 79 for a +7 score. He earned a birdie on the par-4 fourth hole.
Junior Keita Aoki (Tokyo, Japan/St. Mary's International School) struggled out of the gate and ended up at +15 with an 87. However, he posted pars on eight of nine holes before concluding the day with a bogey and a double-bogey on holes 8 and 9.
Conditions, which saw temperatures approach 100 degrees, were favorable for scoring on Thursday as nearly three-quarters of the field finished with team scores under par. UCLA led the way with a 20-under 268. Erik Flores, one of five Bruins under par, led the individual standings after the first day with an 8-under 64. Waddell's scored tied him for 55th in the field of more than 140 competitors.
Bucknell, which was on the course during the morning session on Thursday, is scheduled to tee of at 3:29 p.m. EDT (12:29 in Tempe) in round two on Friday. For live scoring updates throughout the tournament, visit www.golfstat.com.
Bucknell Individual Scores
T55. Charlie Waddell - 71 (-1)
T85. Andrew Cohen - 73 (+1)
T121. Kyle Moran - 76 (+4)
T137. Brian Bartow - 79 (+7)
141. Keita Aoki - 87 (+15)
