Junior Cris Rudosky took advantage of playing at the familiar Conquistador Golf Course on Thursday to win the Cortez Invitational.
Playing against golfers from eight other schools, Rudosky was the only competitor to score in the seventies. He finished as medalist at one under par (71) for his first Cortez Invitational victory.
Rudosky said that he had a bit of trouble putting on the front nine, but that he was able to put things together on the back nine to finish strong.
“It seemed like it was either a one putt or a three putt on the front nine, so that definitely hurt me a little bit,” he explained. “But I bounced back with a birdie or two and the back nine went smoother for putting. I didn’t make as many one putts, but I didn’t have any three putts.”
Blake Keetch and Forrest Gomez rounded out the three scoring players for the Panthers, both finishing at 88.
Head coach Micah Rudosky said that while Keetch didn’t play as well as he usually does, Gomez played his best round of the season.
“The potential is there,” he said of Gomez. “He hits the ball long, he’s fairly accurate and he’s become a very nice putter. So if he gets going, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him shoot somewhere around the 82 to 85 mark.”
Keetch may have been a bit frustrated, but Rudosky said that if he can get back down to his average, Cris continues playing well, and Gomez drops into the low 80’s – he likes the trio’s chances come the postseason.
The three combined to score a 247 on Thursday, just two strokes behind the team winner Durango Demons.
Other Panther golfers were Luke Gross, who finished with a 113, and Jens Jorgensen, who shot a 117.
And then junior varsity players Casen Allmon and Grayson Eytchison finished at 120 and 130, respectively.
The home meet followed the Panthers’ trip to Pagosa Springs on Wednesday and their meet in Alamosa the previous Friday.
Keetch and Rudosky each finished in the top five at Cattails Golf Course on Friday, with Keetch finishing second with a 75 and Rudosky taking fifth with a 78.
And with Gomez shooting a 93 and Gross a 102, the Panthers finished third as a team.
Then on Wednesday at Pagosa Springs Golf Club, Rudosky finished third with an 81, Keetch shot an 85, Gross finished at 120 and Jorgensen and Allmon each shot a 136.
The Panthers will next compete in the Intermountain League Championship on Thursday at the Rio Grand Golf Club in South Fork.