Boise State men’s golf hit the ground running to open its spring campaign.
The Broncos captured both the team title and individual championship for the second time this season behind a brilliant performance by senior Cole Rueck in the Lake Las Vegas Invitational Feb. 23-25.
The tournament marks the 20th victory in program history and the third under head coach David Trainor.
Playing at Reflection Bay Golf Club, the Broncos shot an 841 (-23) as a team and topped the 11-team field, beating runner-up Louisiana by four strokes. Firing a 200 (-16), Rueck captured his eighth career championship and second of the year, further cementing his role as the anchor of the squad.
Trainor lauded the team’s performance, citing their ability to rise to the occasion despite certain struggles.
“This was a great win for our team. It was an outstanding outcome and a really great team win,” Trainor said. “As a group, we had our struggles heading into the spring season, but our guys flat out stepped up and were outstanding.”
Across the three days of the invitational, Boise State dominated the links, riding a wave of consistency from start to finish.
Despite the Broncos finishing rounds 1 and 2 in first place at 11-under, their best performance was yet to come
On day three, the team posted a 276, aided by sophomores Reese Knox and Chase Gorder, both shooting 68s, who found their rhythm and helped the team deliver the coup de grâce. The two finished the tournament 4-under and 1-under, respectively, each finishing in the top-25. Knox climbed a whopping 12 spots on Day 3 and carded a 68, the best of his career.
Finishing Day 3 23-under, the Broncos surpassed their combined score of the first two rounds and finished the event tied for their lowest collective score in relation to par this year. The team carded their first -23 at the Palouse Collegiate back in September.
Boise State’s first team victory of the season came in the Oregon State Invitational in October.
The common thread in Boise State’s two team wins this year? Cole Rueck.
The Corvallis, Oregon, native captured the individual titles in both Bronco victories. For his efforts in Vegas, he was named Mountain West Golfer of the Week on Feb. 26. His smooth swing, free of unnecessary movement, has guided his reliable performances throughout his career at Boise State.
At the Lake Las Vegas Invitational, Rueck delivered a masterclass.
He shot under par all three days and recorded the best single-round score of his career on Day 2, a 64 (-8). His pure ball-striking carried him through the front-9 of the second round, with his putter catching fire on the back. The senior gave himself birdie looks all day, hitting controlled shots in the air and never putting more than a few feet for par. His tee-box confidence allowed him to consistently find the fairway and free up the rest of his game.
Rueck spoke on what the team and individual victories meant not only for himself, but for the entire team.
“It’s a perfect week. We achieved what we wanted,” Rueck said. “My game was feeling good going into it, so I had high expectations. It’s a course I had seen before last year and not played super well at, so it was great to not have any rust show. We knew we were capable of winning this tournament and it was great to see everyone play well and rise in the last round when we needed it the most. Just a great kickstarter to the spring.”
Rueck is the eighth golfer in program history to take home the weekly conference accolade. He’s posted top-10 finishes in five of the team’s six tournaments this year and boasts 15 for his career, tied with Troy Merritt for second-most in program history.
Overall, four Broncos finished the tournament in the top-25, including freshman Ryan Shepard, who saw his first collegiate action.
Boise State men’s golf now turns its attention to the Cleveland Golf Palmetto Intercollegiate on March 9-10. The event, which takes place at Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken, S.C., offers the Broncos a chance to carry momentum from their strong spring-opening victory.
