PALM DESERT, Calif. -- BYU closed the gap by shooting the best team score of the day, but the Cougars still trail leader UNLV by 10 strokes going into the final round of the Mountain West Conference golf championships.
The Cougars, ranked No. 5 in the nation, fired an 8-under-par 280 total Tuesday at the PGA West Nicklaus Golf Course to pick up six strokes on the Rebels, who are ranked No. 9 in the nation. The Rebels, who stand at 576 after two rounds, lead Colorado State by just four strokes after the Rams shot 283 for a 580 total.CSU's Nigel Spence is the individual leader at 137 after adding a 68 to his first-round 69. San Diego State's Scott Piercy is second at 139, followed by UNLV's Michael Kirk and Scott Lander at 140.
BYU's top golfers are Andy Miller and Scott Miller, who are tied for seventh at 143. Scott Miller tied the low score of the tournament with a 68 Tuesday. BYU's Billy Harvey is another shot back at even-par 144.
Utah shot 11 strokes better than the first round, but the Utes are well back in the pack in seventh place at 605, five shots behind Wyoming. Ryan Ellis is Utah's low man at 147 with Shawn Edwards a shot back at 148. New Mexico, which is ranked No. 13 in the country, is a disappointing fourth place at 584. The Lobos' Scott Hailes, who hails from West Bountiful, stands at 146 with a pair of 73s.
BYU WOMEN: After BYU's 16-stroke win at the Mike Farrell Invitational in Ogden Monday, the Cougars received the announcement of their invitation to the NCAA Women's Western Regional Tournament, which will be held May 11-13 at Karsten Golf Course in Tempe, Arizona. BYU was one of 24 teams teams from West of the Mississippi to be invited to the Western Regional Tournament. The Western region is the most difficult region to qualify from as 14 of the nation's top 24 teams come from the West, which includes the nation's top women's golf conference the Pac-10.