What a difference a day made for the Durango High School boys golf team.
The Demons finished sixth out of 12 teams at the Gypsum Creek Golf Course on Wednesday in their first tournament of the season.
They shot a combined 247 compared to first-place Steamboat Springs’ 230.
Montezuma-Cortez shot a 234 to finish second, while Montrose’s 242 placed the Indians third.
Battle Mountain and Summit rounded out the top five with scores of 242 and 245, respectively.
Durango sophomore Cory Gillespie placed in the top 10 with a 78, while senior Bo Ward shot an 83, sophomore Cameron Barnhardt an 86 and senior Trevor Bogus and sophomore Eric Walker an 89.
DHS junior varsity players Garret Mulkey and Cy Spicer, whose scores didn’t count toward the team total, shot an 85 and 87, respectively.
“They didn’t play their best,” Durango head coach Kirk Rawles said. “If they had played as well as (Tuesday’s practice round) we’d have won the tourney by six strokes; that’s how good these guys can be.”
Rawles couldn’t pinpoint specific reasons for the difference from one day to the next. He ruled out nerves because of the amount of tournament golf his team played over the summer.
“They just need to develop a little bit more consistency,” Rawles said. “Shrug off a bad hole when they have it and focus more on course management than swing mechanics.”
The Demons will play Rifle Creek Golf Course on Thursday.
heraldsports@durangoherald.com
