Sometimes, a late push isn’t enough to win.
Junior Jake Rodgers’ eagle-birdie punch sparked a back-nine revival, but Colorado State golf’s challenge ran out of holes, and the Rams finished second at the Rams Masters at 2-over. They were only two strokes behind Long Beach State’s even-par winning total.
CSU started the tournament well, shooting 2-under in round one thanks to under par scores from senior Alessandro Trenta and Rodgers’. The Rams were even going into the final day after a 2-over second round. The front nine of round three was rough, as CSU fell to 3-over at the turn.
They responded late, thanks to Rogers’ displays on holes 15 and 16, which made it a close finish.
Rodgers, a junior from Mulino, Oregon, got things going with an eagle on 15 and a birdie on 16, bringing his score down to 2-under for the day. That was when CSU needed it the most. Rodgers played with Trenta in the lead group and kept the Rams close until the last green.
Trenta, CSU’s most reliable player all weekend, was born in Switzerland and served as the anchor for this team. He finished 5-under total, which was the best score by any Ram. His steady play kept CSU in the race while other teams struggled in the final round.
When asked what clicked for his game during the weekend, Trenta said it was more about the mental than the physical game.
“I can’t really pinpoint one part of my game,” Trenta said. “I think it’s maybe the mental game almost, just staying in it after setbacks and trying not to, like, get ahead of myself or stay in the past.”
Trenta also said that the changing dynamics on the course with his teammates helped him keep his momentum going.
“When I play with Jake, I feel like when he doesn’t play great, he likes it better when he’s just being kept with a little bit of distance because he likes just being by himself for a little bit,” Trenta said. “Owen Mullen yesterday was completely different, just fist bumping after good holes and after good shots.”
Freshman Charlie Doyle from Colorado Springs and Mullen from Nova Scotia, Canada, formed the other top team for CSU, just behind the lead group. Doyle finished 6-over for the weekend, which was the third-best score for the team, and even though he was nervous, he stayed calm in his first Rams Masters appearance.
“It is nervous in the sense that I’m competing for a team, and my score is counting for everyone else,” Doyle said. “Just because I want the team to get the best of me, so every shot I was thinking about the team. So, yes, it was pretty nerve-wracking, but I just stayed calm, I thought.”
Doyle left feeling good about the fundamentals of his game, especially his tee shots, and knowing what to work on next.
“I would say that the best part of my game this weekend was definitely off the tee,” Doyle said. “I found myself in a lot of fairways and set up approaches very nicely. For the worst part, I would say speed control on the green. Just getting too comfortable with a putt and knocking it 5 feet by and having to make that coming back.”
The Rams leave their home event with a podium result and a plan for the long run. Trenta is in top shape, Rodgers is getting stronger and Doyle is gaining confidence.
Reach Joey Demyanovich at sports@collegian.com or on X @RMCollegianSpts.
