SMCC Men's Golf Ties for Fourth at ENMU-Ruidoso High Country Shootout
PHOENIX ---
The South Mountain Community College men's golf team tied for fourth at -39 (825) at the ENMU-Ruidoso High Country Shootout on Sept. 22 and 23 at The Links at Sierra Blanca in Ruidoso, N.M. Sophomore Jack Taylor paced the Cougars with a third-place finish at -16 (200) over the three rounds, including an eight-under 64 over the final 18. Freshman Cooper Perkinson tied for 27th at -8 (208), sophomore Jorge Parada tied for 31st at -7 (209), and freshman Kaedon Smith tied for 35th at -6 (210) to round out SMCC's top finishers at the 54-hole event.
Facing a host of NJCAA Division I programs in the 16-team field, the Cougars more than held their own and tied for fourth at -39 with Weatherford College. The team opened with a 12-under 278 and then posted a six-shot improvement with an 18-under 272 in the second round. SMCC closed out with a 13-under 276 to finish 19 strokes behind tournament winner Odessa College and 11 strokes behind third-place Garden City CC (KS).
Taylor, who finished third at -16 (200), closed with a fury in the final round and carded nine birdies and just one bogey over the final 18 holes to finish at eight-under 64. He moved up eight spots on the final leaderboard because of that 64 and finished one stroke off second and three behind the tournament's individual medalist, Odessa College's Jules DeBrauwere. Taylor opened with four birdies to finish at three-under 69 and posted another six in his second round to record a five-under 67.
Tying for 27th at -8 (208), Perkinson posted a pair of four-under 68 rounds to open the tournament and posted an even-par 72 in the third round. He carded seven birdies in the first round, recovering after bogeys on No. 9 and No. 10 to record four birdies over the final eight holes. In the second round, Perkinson eagled the par-five No. 7 and had five birdies, including the final two holes. He had three more birdies over his final 18.
Parada moved up nine spots on the leaderboard after a final-round 67 to tie for 31st at -7 (209). He had five birdies and zero bogeys in that final round and totaled 12 birdies and two eagles over 36 holes on the first day of competition. He carded an eagle three on the par-five No. 16 in rounds two and three, and opened the event with a three-under 69 and then posted a one-over 73 in his second round.
Smith tied for 35th overall at -6 (210) but moved up 19 spots over the final day after posting a seven-under 65. The round featured eight birdies, including five over the first eight holes. He had six birdies in his first round en route to a three-under 69. He had two more birdies in the round and finished at three-over 76.
Sophomore Luke Padilla also had a strong final round, posting a three-under 69 to move up 13 spots and finish tied for 41st at -3 (213). Padilla started with a one-over 73 with three birdies and then posted a one-under 71 in the second round that featured another five birdies.
Freshman Quinton Breuer also tied for 41st at -3 (213), posting scores of 72, 69, and 72 on the par-72 course. He opened with three birdies and recorded six more in his second round to post a finish of three-under par. He had another five birdies in his final round to post his second even-par 72 of the weekend.
Sophomore PJ Segerstrom tied for 52nd at even-par (216) with rounds of 76, 68, and 72. He had three birdies in his first round, seven in his second, and two in his final round of competition.