Gophers third in season opener

After finishing the first two rounds of the 5th annual Gopher Invitational within striking distance of first place, the Gophers men finished the event on Monday in third at 8-over par .
Southern Methodist University came into the day leading by two strokes only added to that margin, ending at 9-under par for a 10-stroke victory and a Gopher Invitational team record.
Arkansas edged Minnesota for second place after going into Monday’s third and final round tied with the Gophers at 1-over par.
On Monday, SMU Junior Kelly Kraft broke Gopher Ben Pisani’s course record for a single round by shooting a 64, one less than the Gopher senior.
Kraft, who won the Conference USA freshman of the year in 2008, entered the third round at 7-under par, one stroke behind the Pisani. But then Kraft put together a course-record, 8-under 64 that included back-to-back eagles and ran away with medalist honors, finishing at 15-under par. Kraft’s 54-hole 201 was a Gopher Invitational record as well.
Although Pisani’s individual achievement may have been overshadowed, he continued to lead the Gophers by shooting a 71 and 73 in the second and third rounds, respectively, and ended in second place at 7-under par.
“Ben is indeed one of the best players in the country,” golf director Brad James said, “I think he proved that this weekend.”
On Monday, freshman Robert Bell followed an impressive second-round 70 with a 76 to finish 20th overall.
Sophomore Derek Chang, meanwhile, rebounded from a first round 88 — the worst score of the tournament — with a pair of even-par 72s.
Associate head coach Andrew Tank said that Derek’s comeback demonstrates a lot about his character.
“It was one of those things that you just kind of forget it happened and move on,” Tank said, “He did that well and came and played really solid golf.”
Because of some standout performances over the weekend, the coaches will have difficulty choosing a lineup for their upcoming tournaments.
“I think Ben Pisani has solidified his spot,” James said, “And because the lineup is so deep, the last four spots are really up for grabs.”
Andrew Tank said that this depth could be both good and bad for himself and James.
“It’s a good thing because we’ve got that many players that are competing and have a chance to play, so that competition will make everyone better,” Tank said, “But it does make it harder to get that lineup of five determined.”
James hopes that this weekend’s finish serves as a learning experience for his players.
“I think our guys got a little caught up after getting off to such a great start today and didn’t make some good decisions out there,” he said, “So there is still some learning there.”