Men's Golf | 09.27.2021

LEWISTON, Idaho – Lewis-Clark State College senior Devon Caruso blistered the Lewiston Golf & Country Club course with a personal best 65 in the second round to help the Warriors to the first day lead at the Warrior Invitational on Monday.
 
After shooting a 1-under-par 71 during the opening 18 holes on Monday morning, Caruso came out firing on the second 18 and put up 10 birdies on his way to the best round of the day in the Cascade Collegiate Conference tournament. His 136 total leaves him 8-under-par for the tournament entering Tuesday's final 18 holes.
 
What made Caruso's round so impressive is he played the final eight holes in howling strong winds.
 
"My putter was hot today," Caruso said. "It felt like I couldn't miss on the front. I had a putt on nine for a birdie and after I made it I looked at my coach and said 'I cannot miss right now.'"
 
Caruso said most of his putts were 15 feet or less as he was able to hit his approach shots close, but he also added a couple of "bombs" on the greens.
 
"No, that's insane," Caruso said when asked if he ever had a round with 10 birdies. "It just all kind of fell together between the putter, wedges were good, irons were good. I mean I even missed some 10 footers."
 
Caruso's previous low round was a 68, also shot at the LG&CC.
 
"As a coach I've only seen nine birdies in a round," LC State coach Brady Campbell said. "Definitely one of the three best rounds I've witnessed as a coach for sure. His patience was phenomenal. He didn't let the moment be too big. He hit the shot that was called for and didn't press. And the putter was just on fire. He made everything."
 
Caruso recorded five birdies in the first round and was at 3-under-par at one point before a double bogey and bogey brought him back to even. He then birdied the final hole for a 71.
 
In the second round, the Pomeroy, Wash., native started with back-to-back birdies on the first two holes, and then repeated that feat twice on the front nine for a 5-under 31. He sandwiched birdies around a bogey on the first four holes of the back nine and then birdied two of the final three holes.
 
Caruso's play helped the Warrior men grab a four-stroke lead over British Columbia, which is ranked No. 15 in the NAIA Top 25 preseason poll. The Warriors shot a 573 for the 36 holes, while UBC is at 577.
 
"I am really proud of the way the guys battled," Campbell said. "The weather turned right in the middle of the day. It went from a great golf day, like 80 degrees and no wind, and then all of a sudden, a huge wind storm hit us. We dropped a couple of strokes but that is to be expected in that wind. But they stayed patient and didn't try to force things in the wind. I'm really proud of them and how they battled through a really long day."
 
LC State was picked to finish fifth in the conference and the team has used that as motivation to show what they can do.
 
"We just need to go finish it off," Campbell said of Tuesday's final 18 holes.
 
On the women's side, LC State sits third at 310. British Columbia, ranked No. 8 in the NAIA preseason poll, leads the tournament at 295, while Oregon Tech, ranked No. 19, is second at 300.
 
Senior Alexandra Schmidt and junior Deana Caruso both carded 74s to lead the Warriors and stand tied for fifth overall. Two of Schmidt's three birdies came on par-3 holes, while Caruso, who shot a career best, had a string of three birdies over four holes. Both players had three birdies and five bogeys in their rounds.
 
"Deana has a career round by four or five strokes and that's amazing," Campbell said. "Alex played really well. She is our leader as expected right around par. To have Deana come out and shoot her best round of her college career is huge."
 
Teammate Kelsee Fleming, a junior, is tied for 11th at 78. Fleming got off to a bit of a slow start with three consecutive bogeys but eventually got things going.
 
The tournament is the second and final CCC tournament of the fall. The third tourney and conference championships will be in April.
 
Stay up to date with all things Warrior Athletics at lcwarriors.com and on social media @LCWarriors.
 
 
MEN
Team scores ¬– 1, Lewis-Clark State 286-287-573. 2, British Columbia 285-292-577. 3, North Idaho College 289-289-578  4, Oregon Tech 291-306-597.  5, Multnomah 298-304-602. 6, Bushnell 302-306-608.  7, College of Idaho 309-311-610.8 , Walla Walla 308-330-638. 9, Corban 311-329-640.
LC State scores – 1, Devon Caruso 71-65-136. T7, Jorgen Viken 70-74-144. T11, Kristof Panke 72-73-145. T17, Carlos Davila 73-75-158, Jacob Waller 75-75-150.
Other LC scores – Elias Theodossopoulos 70-72-142, Thomas Lopez 78-83-161, Caleb Hitt 82-83-165, Ezra Epperly 91-83-174.
 
WOMEN
Team scores – 1, British Columbia  295. 2, Oregon Tech 300. 3, Lewis-Clark State 310. 4, Corban 329. 5, North Idaho College 343. 6, Walla Walla U. 350. 7, College of Idaho 358. 8. Bushnell 364.
LC State scores – Deana Caruso 74, Alexandrea Schmidt 74, Kelsee Fleming 78, Kyle Currie 84, Nicole Propheter 87.
Other LC scores – Courtney Ockler 82, Mylaina Parker 88, Isabel Hilliard 103.
Overall leader – Payton Canon, Oregon Tech, 70.