The UCLA men’s golf team did exactly what it was hoping to avoid Tuesday and Wednesday, essentially knocking itself out of contention for a title with high scores in the first two rounds of the NCAA Championships on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Bruins shot a 306 (+22) on the first day and then slid from 24th to 27th with a round of 295 (+11) Wednesday. UCLA finished with a two-day combined score of 601 (+33).
After the third round of stroke play concludes today, the top eight teams will advance to a match play structured portion on Friday. Saturday will determine the national champion.
The Bruins trailed first-place Oklahoma State by 33 strokes at the end of day two as the Cowboys finished at even par over the two-day span.
UCLA finished 19 strokes behind eighth-place Duke heading into the final round of traditional tournament play.
Sophomore Philip Francis, who helped UCLA earn a victory in the NCAA Central Regional two weeks ago, led the Bruins again. He finished the first round at 70 (-1) and then fired a second-round 77 to finish the two-day stretch at +5. Like his team, he fell down the standings after day two. After being one stroke back of the leaders after day one, UCLA’s lowest scorer fell into a tie for 54th place after the second day.
Senior Erik Flores, recently named to the All-Pac-10 First-Team, came in at +7 in a tie for 73rd, and freshman Gregor Main carded a +8 and finished tied for 85th just a stroke behind his teammate.
Flores got off to a rough start on day one, making a double and a triple bogey on the front nine along with four bogeys to finish nine-over through nine. He played the back nine, even par, carding nine straight pars to finish at 80 (+9). The All-American rebounded on day two, however, with four birdies and only two bogies to shoot a 69 (-2) on Wednesday.
Main also improved on the second day, shooting a solid 73 (+2) with three birdies after a difficult first round of 77 (+6) in which he did not convert a single birdie opportunity.
After Main, there was a big drop-off for the Bruins; the next best finisher was freshman Alex Kim, who finished at 157 (+15) in 148th place. Sophomore Connor Driscoll came in two shots behind Kim with a 159 (+17).
The Bruins will have to make huge strides today to advance to the top eight and compete in the match play portion on Friday.
Compiled by David Updegrove and Matt Stevens, Bruin Sports reporters.