Thursday, October 22, 1998
Bruins putt-putt into sixth-place finish
M.GOLF: Team’s youth its Achilles heel despite strong tournament
start
By Pauline Vu
Daily Bruin Contributor
If you were to compare Masters Champion Tiger Woods to UCLA’s
B.J. Schlagenhauf, you’d find the two have at least one thing in
common:
When Woods went to the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate
tournament four years ago, he brought home the title. And when
Schlagenhauf went there two days ago, he did the same.
The only thing is that Schlagenhauf won it in two strokes or
less.
Schlagenhauf led the 11th-ranked Bruins to a sixth-place finish
in a field of 12 teams. The tournament hosted 11 ranked teams and
eight teams ranked in the top 10 alone.
His victory was not a given, however. After Monday, the first
day of play, Schlagenhauf was tied for sixth place with seven other
players.
"I wasn’t really in contention after the first round," he
said.
But this did not deter him in the least. He fired a 64 for the
next day, tying the course record and posting a new career best, to
tie 10th-ranked Jeremy Anderson of UNLV for the title.
"I had some confidence going into this week because I won last
week," Schlagenhauf said, referring to his victory at the Northwest
Classic.
Coach Brad Sherfy agreed.
"When you win, that breeds winning," Sherfy said.
"Hats off to B.J. He had a tremendous last round. Sixty-four
 that’s one low number," he added.
Schlagenhauf also defeated 11 ranked players at the
tournament.
The first day of play, the Bruins fired a three-under-par total
of 565 and landed in third place.
They were led by Jeff McGraw, who shot rounds of 69 and 67 for
third place.
"McGraw was right in the hunt for two rounds, and he’s certainly
capable of winning an event," Sherfy said.
The other Bruins also played well. Jason Semelsberger was tied
for 27th place at 125, only 3-over-par, and Parker McLachlin and
Ross Fulgentis were tied in 32nd place with only 4-over-par.
However, the Bruins could not maintain their momentum.
"It was a tournament with a lot of top teams, and in a position
like (third place), you got to close it out as a team and put out a
good last round," Sherfy said.
But the Bruins didn’t manage to pull through. Every player
besides Schlagenhauf needed more strokes to complete the final
round.
Sherfy credited the second day’s poor playing to the team’s
youth. Schlagenhauf is a senior this year. There is also one junior
on the team, two sophomores and a freshman.
"That’s youth looking at you in the face," Sherfy said.
The Jerry Pate tournament is one of the most elite in the
country, with a selection committee that includes Arnold Palmer,
Ben Crenshaw and Mark McCormack.
They attempt to select only the best in the nation, as evidenced
by the winning teams:
Clemson (No. 3) took first place, defending champions UNLV (No.
4) took second, and Oklahoma State (No. 1) placed third.
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