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PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. – The Saint Mary's Golf Team finished third at the SMC Invitational this week, as did sophomore Kristian Bressum with very strong second and third rounds at Poppy Hills Golf Course.
 
Despite rain showers on Tuesday and Wednesday, with some gusty winds as well on day two, it was another great tournament hosted by the Gaels, with a good performance on the course for the program to go with it.
 
Bressum shot a 67 on day three, to go with his 69 on day two, and a 73 in round one on the par 71 course to finish 4-under par at 209 strokes overall.

"Playing in the SMC invitational was awesome," Bressum commented. "Great golf course, we had spectators cheering for us, and really good energy on the team. I have been grinding hard for a long time and my game felt sharp. I played well first round but was unlucky with some bad breaks. But I kept a good attitude and had a smile on the whole way, and all of a sudden in round two and three I played world class the most of the time.

"I have been evaluating my previous tournaments, how I act, what happens when I do this and that, and just noticing how my game is," Bressum added. "I think at this tournament I used the strengths in my game that I've been focusing on to my advantage, plus my new PING Anser 4 putter holed a lot of putts this week."

The Randers, Denmark native had the second-most par fours made and was tied for the second-most birdies at the tournament with 15, as the Gaels were flying high in birdies throughout the week.
 
Mitchell Hoey and Connor Reis were third and fourth in birdies with 14 and 13 respectively, and Saint Mary's as a team was only second to tournament champion San Diego with 55 to the Toreros' 58.
 
The Gaels as a team were 12-over par at 864 strokes in the final tournament of the fall, just behind No. 18 Colorado State at 9-under, while first place USD shot 7-under par as a team. It was SMC's highest finish team wise since finishing second last October 21-23 at the Visit Stockton Invitational hosted by Pacific.
 
Reis climbed 13 spots in the standings into the top 25 at 2nd overall after round three when he shot a 70 to finish 1-under par on the day, and was tied for third with Bressum for par fives made overall. Jonathan Curran finished in the top 30 of the 92 golfers, tied for 27th at 219 strokes.
 
Matthew Manganello of Fresno State finished first at the tournament with 206 strokes at 7-under par. David Rauch of San Diego was one stroke behind him at 6-under par and 207 strokes for second place.
 
UP NEXT
The Gaels resume action next semester head to Tucson, Ariz. for the Arizona Intercollegiate on January 30 and 31.
 
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