2021 NCAA DII West/South Regional (First Round)

DUPONT, Wash. – Thanks to a pair of Urban Knights in the top-20, Academy of Art men's golf combined for a 5-over-par 293 to conclude the opening round of the NCAA DII West/South Central Regional in a tie for eighth place. Leading the way is junior Julius Kreutzer, who is tied for 10th place after he turned in a 1-under-par 71. 

In their first competition since winning the PacWest Championship for the first time in program history, ART U is nine shots back of overall leader Montana State Billings, but smack dab in the middle of a crowded field looking to make a move in round two (seven teams separated by three strokes). The Knights lead all PacWest competition in the tournament, fellow conference member Holy Names ended round one in a tie for 12th place at 9-over-par. 

For Kreutzer, he started his round with four straight pars before he found his first birdie on the fifth hole, but would end his front nine at even-par after he bogeyed the final of the front nine. Making the turn, Kreutzer birdied the 10th but immediately followed with another bogey on 11 to remain at even. Kreutzer would get up-and-down through most the rest of his round, dropping one last birdie on the par-5 16th hole to end the round three shots back of individual leader Garrett Woodin of MSU Billings (4-under-par 68). 

Ending day one in a tie for 16th place was senior Gabriel De Leon Manotoc, shooting an even-par to end in a tie with 14 others heading into the second round. Manotoc would open with a bogey but immediately recoup with a birdie, and after a few saves of par, would sink another birdie on the seventh hole to go 1-under. Unfortunately, a bogey on the ninth would drop him back to even as he made the turn onto the back nine. Starting the 10th with a birdie, Manotoc would bogey his 12th hole, and would repeat the process one final time after coming up with his third birdie of the day on the 16th before closing out his round with a bogey on 18. 

Adding to the scoring for ART U was junior Matthew Watkins, who turned in a 2-over-par 74 to tie for 37th place. One hole was a thorn in the side of Watkins, as he tied for the team-high in birdies on the round with four (fifth, seventh, 15th, and 16th holes). In a tie for 59th place was senior Otto Homruen, who was registered a 4-over-par 76 with one birdie during his round. 

ART U will tee off for the second round of the NCAA DII West/South Central Regional on Tuesday beginning at 8:25 a.m. PST.