EL PASO, TEXAS – As the first day of the Western Refining College All-America Golf Classic came to a close Saturday, this tournament started to feel a lot like last year’s. A year ago, Gavin Green, a star on the University of New Mexico golf team, returned to Albuquerque with a victory against a collection of All-American golfers.
After a tournament-record 9-under 62 at El Paso Country Club on Saturday, Green is in position to defend his title and head back to Albuquerque again with another impressive victory. This time it would be one for the record books – only one other player in the event’s 40-year history has won twice at El Paso Country Club. Clemson’s Chris Patton did it in 1988 and 1989.
Green’s 62 in the second round sort of snuck up on him.
After getting off to a slow start in the opening round, he had to make birdies on two of his final three holes just to get back to level par for the round. The vault up the leaderboard did not start until his final nine holes of the day.
“I didn’t even realize I was going really deep until the second nine and I was 4 under standing on No. 1 (his 10th hole). I was like, ‘All right, let’s get this party started,’” said Green, who is ranked No. 13 in the Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings.
The party did start. The senior from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia made seven birdies and an eagle for a 62 that propelled him into the lead. That round ties the tournament record shared by Florida’s Billy Horschel (2006), Vanderbilt’s Luke List (2006) and Wake Forest’s Webb Simpson (2007).
Green’s 9-under 133 gives him a two-shot cushion over USC sophomore Rico Hoey, who made 10 birdies on his way to rounds of 69-66 and a 7-under total. First-round leader Ryan Zech of Missouri recorded seven birdies to post a morning round of 5-under 66 and followed that up with an even-par 71. He is in third place at 5 under.
SMU junior Bryson Dechambeau, who won the long-drive contest in Friday’s pre-tournament festivities, withdrew from the tournament with a neck injury.
Since his victory in El Paso, Green has found the winner’s circle three times in college golf tournaments and once at the professional level. Last spring, he won the UTSA/Lone Star Invitational, then won the Mountain West Conference Championship in April. This fall he won the Tucker Invitational.
Playing in his home country of Malaysia, he won an Asian Development Tour event in June by 11 shots, which would have netted in the neighborhood of $18,000.
Green’s approach this year was to not think about last year and stay patient. He has a knowledge of the course as well as length that allows him to reach two of three par 5s with short irons. He hit 8-iron into the ninth green and made eagle.
“I know where to miss it and where not to, especially on the greens,” said Green, who also noted that his length off the tee is a big factor here.
Green says he is looking forward to having a chance to win again tomorrow: “Nothing better than winning.”
