ERIE, Colo. (Sept. 26, 2017) – A steady team effort throughout the third round of play resulted in a third-place finish for the Wyoming men's golf team at the Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational on Tuesday. Led by John Murdock's final-round 68 (-4), the Pokes carded a final-round 283 (-5) for a 54-hole total of 846 (-18) and third place in the team standings behind Utah and host Colorado. Murdock's tournament total of 209 (-7) gave him a share of fifth place on the individual leaderboard, while Quintin Pope had his best tournament of the season so far to join Murdock in the top 10 with a score of 210 (-6).  
 
"They all played well," said UW head coach Joe Jensen of his players on Tuesday. "That's what I like to see as a coach – some balance in your program. It's great to have Quintin (Pope) in the mix. It's nice to get other guys involved in scoring. It was a great tournament, taking third place in a nice field and shooting 18-under par. It's a long season. There's a balance of being competitive and keeping our edge and having some pace, too. You can't get too high and you can't get too low. You just have to go out and do your job."
 
Murdock saved his best round of the tournament for last, using three birdies as well as an eagle on the par-five, 564-yard 12^th hole for a stellar 68 (-4), his eighth subpar round in nine total rounds played this season. His eagle was the only one by any player on No. 12 during the 54-hole tournament. Murdock has top-five finishes in all three tournaments so far during the 2017-18 campaign, finishing as the top Cowboy in each tournament while recording an impressive 68.3 stroke average thus far.
 
"He's believing in himself as a player," Jensen said about Murdock. "He's playing consistent and patient and level and not getting ahead of himself."
 
Meanwhile, Pope carded his third subpar round of the tournament on Tuesday with a 71 (-1). Tying for ninth place at 210 (-6), the Cheyenne, Wyo., native earned the second-highest finish of his career. Behind Pope, seniors Drew McCullough and Glenn Workman both earned a share of 30^th place with tournament scores of 216 (E) after each used late-round birdies to shoot 72 (E) on Tuesday. Arron Lickteig tied for 57^th after a third-round 74 (+2), posting a 54-hole total of 220 (+4).
 
Freshman Carl Underwood showed a flash of the future of Cowboy golf throughout the tournament, posting a score of 75 (+3) on Tuesday to tie for 43^rd place overall at 218 (+2). Fellow individual player Dan Starzinski also shot 75 (+3) during the third round, tying for 87^th overall with a 54-hole score of 227 (+11).
 
Utah's Kyler Dunkle used a spectacular third-round 64 (-8) on his way to the individual tournament title, notching a score of 202 (-14) over three rounds. Utah and Colorado finished Tuesday's round in a tie atop the team standings at 842 (-22), but Utah pulled off the victory in a tie-breaker held on the 18^th hole at the Colorado National Golf Club. UC Riverside finished 12 strokes behind Wyoming for fourth place, while Oregon State rounded out the top five squads in the 19-team field.
 
As a team, Wyoming has now finished in the top three teams at the Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational for three years in a row. The Cowboys will be back in action on Oct. 9-10 at the Paintbrush Invitational in Parker, Colo., hosted by the University of Denver at the Colorado Golf Club. Stay tuned to GoWyo.com and @wyo_golf on twitter for more information as the Pokes attempt to stay steady on the links.
 
Wyoming Results
T5. John Murdock: 70+71+68 = 209 (-7)
T9. Quintin Pope: 69+70+71 = 210 (-6)
T30. Drew McCullough: 76+68+72 = 216 (E)
T30. Glenn Workman: 73+71+72 = 216 (E)
T43. Carl Underwood (I): 73+70+75 = 218 (+2)
T57. Arron Lickteig: 71+75+74 = 220 (+4)
T87. Dan Starzinski (I): 73+79+75 = 227 (+11)
 
Team Standings
1. Utah: 283+282+277 = 842 (-22)*
2. Colorado: 275+286+281 = 842 (-22)
3. Wyoming: 283+280+283 = 846 (-18)
4. UC Riverside: 289+287+282 = 858 (-6)
5. Oregon State: 285+286+289 = 860 (-4)
 
*beat Colorado in a one-hole tie-breaker