Spring 2003 has been a sink or swim season for the UNM men's golf team, which hit the water with both legs kicking at the Mountain West Conference Championship Thursday in Sunriver, Ore.
The Lobos, who have finished second twice, sixth once and outside the top-12 three times in an up-and-down '03 campaign, dismantled the 7,273-yard, par-72 Crosswater Course, shooting a 12-under-par 276 in the first round of the MWC's grand finale.
Led by sophomore Madalitso Muthiya and freshman Jay Choi, who fired matching 4-under 68s, the Lobos are looking to improve on last year's second-place finish - their best in the MWC's four-year history. Thursday's hot start gave UNM a five-shot lead over BYU and San Diego State University.
Muthiya said that a hot putter kept his round going.
"I made all the ones I needed to make today," he said.
Opening round conditions were ideal with temperatures in the high 50s and little to no wind making the course susceptible to low scores, Muthiya said.
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"When conditions are good like this, you get a lot of short irons into greens and you can get aggressive," said Muthiya, who made only one bogey on Thursday.
Joining Muthiya and Choi on the squad are senior captain Michael Letzig, sophomore Jay Reynolds and junior Ian Medlock.
"We've got the best combination possible in terms of players," head coach Glen Millican said before Wednesday's practice round. "This should give us a good chance to be competitive."
Letzig, who has been the rock of this year's Lobo squad, got off to a sizzling start Thursday with an eagle at the par-5 second. He stumbled a bit in the middle of the round, but finished birdie-birdie to get into the clubhouse at 3-under.
"He [Letzig] hit two good iron shots coming in and made some putts," Millican said. "I think he's really pleased with the way he played today. He didn't feel like he hit it that well, but still scored well."
Reynolds posted a 1-under-par 71, despite less-than-sharp iron play and two missed birdie putts on the back nine from inside five feet.
"I scrambled really well today," said Reynolds, who has missed four of UNM's six tournaments this spring with a recurring back injury. "I feel like I played a lot worse than I did. I definitely didn't deserve any better than 71."
Medlock struggled to a 5-over 77 and was the only Lobo to finish over-par in the first round.
Millican said his team's familiarity with the bent-grass greens in Oregon might have been one factor in the good start. The tournament format, which pairs the players in twosomes, allowing for increased focus "on their own games" also helped, he added.
"We just need to go out there and play the same kind of golf that we did today," Millican said.
Tee times for Friday's second round begin at 9:30 MST on Friday.
