Miller’s First Sub-70 Round Puts Buffs In Second At Red Sky

WOLCOTT, Colo. — University of Colorado freshman Morgan Miller had been striking her woods and irons well all fall.
 
On Monday, her putter joined the party.
 
Miller shot Colorado’s first round in the 60s on the young fall season, leading the Buffaloes into a tie for second place after the first round of the Golfweek Red Sky Classic at the Red Sky Golf Club Monday.
 
Miller shook off a slow start and recorded seven birdies in an 11-hole stretch to finish at 3-under-par, 69, and is in fourth place after 18 holes. Pepperdine’s Lauren Gomez is the first-round leader with a 5-under, 67. Washington State’s Darcy Habgood and Mercer’s Tracy Rodriguez are tied for second at 4-under, 68.
 
“(Morgan) got her putter going,” Colorado head coach Anne Kelly said. “We started making some putts. She’s been striking the ball well, but just not taking advantage of birdie opportunities. She started to do so today.”
 
The Buffaloes finished at 1-under, 287, on the day at the 6,367-yard, par 72 course, tying Fresno State and sits just two strokes off the lead. Pepperdine is the leader after the first round with a 3-under, 285. Xavier is in third, one stroke behind Colorado and Fresno State while Kennesaw State, Delaware and Mercer are tied for fifth at 289.
 
Overall Colorado had a bit of a roller coaster round. The Buffaloes started slow, but behind Miller, held the lead at the turn at 3-under. Colorado stumbled on the early holes of the back nine, playing No. 10-14 at 7-over collectively to fall back into the pack. But the Buffaloes rallied, playing the final four holes at 6-under to leap back into contention.
 
 “Everyone showed a lot of heart and fight today,” Kelly said. “No. 10 is a difficult par 3, 11 is not easy and 12 had a very difficult hole location. But we can improve there. We talked a little bit after the round and hopefully we’ll find a way to play those holes a little better.”
 
Miller struggled early, finding herself at 3-over through the first five holes, but a birdie at the 359-yard par-4 No. 6 began her impressive run in the red. After a par at No. 7, she birdied the next three, including back-to-back par 3s at No. 9 and 10 to get back to 1-under.
 
“Yesterday’s practice rounds I was really feeling the greens. I knew it was going to be a good putting course for me. It took a couple holes today to get…