Tough day on the rough

After the first round of national championship action on Oklahoma State's Karsten Creek Golf Club, the sparkling play demonstrated by the Huskies during regional competition two weeks ago lost its luster. The Washington men's golf team shot a 26-over 314 during the opening 18 holes to stumble into a two-way tie with Arkansas for 23rd place in a field of 30 squads toad.

After a disappointing opening day in the West Regional Championships, the Huskies rebounded with consecutive rounds of 2-under -- the best back-to-back UW rounds this season -- to land in a tie for a nationals-qualifying seventh place.

The Huskies need to stage another postseason comeback this week to finish the season with their heads held high.

"The reality is that we dug ourselves a bit of a hole today, but a lot of teams had trouble on this course today and that is going to continue this week," said Husky coach Matt Thurmond. "We've been in these sort of situations and there isn't any panic."

Four teams carded scores less than 300 during the first round and are locked in a tie for top honors at 299, including the hosting Cowboys, Clemson, North Carolina State and Auburn. USC trails the leaders in fifth place, shooting a 12-over 300, while west-regional title-winner UCLA is holding onto eighth place at 303.

Of the five Washington golfers representing the program at this week's competition in Stillwater, Okla., -- Brock Mackenzie, Derek Berg, Dan Potter, Conner Robbins and John Robertson -- senior Robertson leads the Husky pack with a 3-over 75 to land in a tie for 29th. He carded a 1-under after his initial 13 holes, but shot a triple bogie on the par-four fifth hole to tumble down the leaderboard.

Noted for its treacherous 4-inch-high rough, the Karsten Creek course is known to drag scores down.

"I hit the ball well and hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens," said Robertson. "I realize I could have shot a better score, but at the same time, this is a really hard golf course and you are not going to have a perfect day here."

The Huskies, who are only 10 strokes away from ninth place, are making their fifth consecutive appearance at the event.

"All of these guys have played this tournament before, which is unique, and some have played it multiple times," said Thurmond.

Husky standout Mackenzie shot par on his first seven holes but triple-bogied the 17th hole; a birdie bettered his score to 2-over at the midpoint of the round. He ended the day at 5-over 77, with another birdie on his final putt. He stands in 59th entering round two.

Senior Berg finished the round in 87th place. He suffered a quadruple birdie on hole five to end at 7-over after nine holes, but improved with even par play over his final 10 holes. Robbins shot an 83, while Potter tallied a disappointing 90.

Washington is only one of seven participating programs to appear at nationals five years in a row. Three of those teams have won the title in the past four years.

Robertson is the first-ever Husky to play in four consecutive NCAA championships. Two-time All-Pac-10 and All-American McKenzie, who finished sixth in the regional tournament, tops the team with a 71.51 stroke average this season.

Berg thinks experience will benefit the veteran UW roster: "A team with all five players who can mentally stay in it are going to be an advantage at this thing. You have to hit the ball well, but it is also a mental test."

The tournament includes four rounds of 18-hole stroke play, with each team taking their four top scores from each round.

The 23rd-seeded Huskies finished knotted for 11th in last season's event with an average team round of 288, holding onto third place going into the final round of play. Mackenzie ended in 17th after carding a 5-over score during the final day.

The Huskies tee off in the afternoon session today for the second round.