Neither rain nor hail could keep the men's golf team from taking the early lead at the 60th annual Western Intercollegiate Tournament Monday in Santa Cruz, Calif. The Blue Devils are at the top of the 16-team field after shooting 4-over-par 284 in the first round, five strokes ahead of second-place teams UC-Santa Barbara and Stanford.
Inclement weather conditions, however, suspended play at the opening of the second round and organizers shortened the tournament from 54 holes to 36, with the final round to be played today.
Senior Ryan Blaum led Duke, shooting a 2-under-par 68, and is tied with Stanford's Rob Grube for the lead. Blaum, coming off a 24th-place finish in the GCAA Hall of Fame Invitational Mar. 19, fired a tournament-high 5 birdies in his opening round. The senior also led the field in Par-5 scoring, finishing at 3-under par over the three par-5 holes.
Junior Jake Grodzinsky joins Blaum as one of only three players who shot under par for the day and is alone in third place after shooting a 1-under, 69. Grodzinsky fired a solid 13 pars, more than any other Blue Devil.
After shooting a 73, sophomore Bryce Mueller is tied for 20th. Fellow sophomore Michael Quagliano shot a 74 and is tied for 30th and freshman Clark Klaasen is tied for 37th, after firing a 75.
If the Blue Devils hold on to first place, the Western Intercollegiate will be their first victory since the Duke Golf Classic in the fall.
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