Barraza Paces Bison in Round 1 at Loyola Intercollegiate

Sunday, February 25

Goodyear, Ariz. (Palm Valley GC)

All Day

Bucknell University

Loyola Intercollegiate

Barraza Paces Bison in Round 1 at Loyola Intercollegiate

2/25/2024 5:57:00 PM | Men's Golf

RESULTS

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – Andres Barraza birdied seven of his first 10 holes before settling for a 1-under-par 71, leading the Bucknell men's golf team to a 294 team score in round one of the Loyola Intercollegiate at Palm Valley Golf Club.

Barraza made eight birdies in all, but a couple of double-bogeys late in his round stymied his record-setting pace. The sophomore started the day on the 11th hole and jumped out of the gates with birdie-par-birdie-birdie over his first four holes. After bogeys at 15 and 16, Barraza birdied his next four holes in a row to get to 5-under on the round. He dipped back to even par with a double at No. 6, but a late birdie at the par-5 ninth moved him back into red numbers and into a tie for 27th place in a challenging 20-team field.

James Key collected five birdies in his opening round and finished at even-par 72. Alex Creamean recovered from a slow start to post 74, and the Bison also counted a 77 from Michael Rudnick.

Of the 20 teams in the field, 12 shot even par or better on Sunday. North Dakota State has the lead after posting a 13-under 275. Northern Colorado is five shots back, and tournament host Loyola Maryland is in third at 7-under. Bucknell sits in 16th place but is just six shots outside of the top 10.

Loyola's Michael Crowley and North Dakota State's Jake Skarperud both shot 65 to grab a share of the individual lead. Delaware's Arsit Areephun and NDSU's Nate Adams are tied for second at 5-under.

Barraza and Key were two of the 54 players to post even or better in round one.

The three-day tournament continues on Monday. Bucknell will play with James Madison, Eastern Michigan, and South Dakota, starting on holes 16-18. The shotgun start begins at 9:45 a.m. Eastern (7:45 a.m. local).