The UCSB men’s golf team slugged its way to a 13th place finish at the Pacific Invitational in Stockton on Tuesday. Junior clubber Scott Linklater created the majority of fireworks on an otherwise dismal day for Santa Barbara by tying for 17th place with a 220.

The Gauchos shot for two 295s in the opening two rounds of the tournament and entered the final round in a modest 12th place. However, the Santa Barbara players could not pick up where they left off, shooting a 313 as a unit and dropping to 13th place.

Linklater coasted with a one under par after two rounds, but couldn’t find his stroke in the third round when he scored 77 to finish four over par. Junior Andrew Hoffer, who transferred from Berkeley after his freshman campaign, registered a score of 224 and a tie for 33rd place. At the Big West Championship last season, Hoffer shot a 223.

Senior Craig King shot a 228, good enough for 48th place. King is a transfer student from St. Mary’s College where he was an All West Coast Conference player in both of the seasons he competed there.

Senior Greg Snider finished in 63rd place with a score of 233. Coincidentally, Snider had his stroke working for him at the Pacific Invitational last season, where he had an average of 226. Snider averaged 76.87 shots per round in his nine rounds of action.

Junior Jeff Greenfield shot a 239 to finish in 71st place. Greenfield shot a season-best 223 at the 49er Collegiate Classic and at the Oregon Duck Invitational last year for 21st and 23rd place, respectively, last season.

Santa Barbara will return to the greens Nov. 5 and 6 at Palm Desert to compete in The Prestige – a tournament hosted by Stanford and Davis.

-Nexus Staff Report