Huskies In The Hunt After 36 Holes at Sahalee Players Championship

SAMMAMISH, Wash. – Hosting some of the nation’s elite programs at Sahalee Country Club, Washington kicked off the 2023-24 season with 36 holes Saturday at the Sahalee Players Championship.
 
Shooting a six-over 294 in the first round and a five-over 293 in round two, UW sits in a tie for 7^th place at -11 for the day entering Sunday’s final round. No. 19 Illinois leads the way at nine-under, the only team in the field under par for the day.
 
“The course was a challenge on every shot,” UW head coach Alan Murray said. “The greens are obviously firm, continually getting firmer and the pins are in some really tasty locations. Your approach shot is already hard but then your tee shot becomes hard too because you have to get it in position.
 
“Being in the fairway versus being in the rough is a shot difference almost. On certain holes being right versus left can be a shot difference. You’ve got to be very strategic but you’ve just got to hit quality shots.”
 
Leading the way for the Huskies in Round One was Petr Hruby, who fired a one-under 71, good for a tie for seventh.
 
After shooting a 76 in round one, Bo Peng came in at a two-under 70 in the afternoon round to lead the pack for the Dawgs.
 
“Overall, we saw lots of good shots from our guys,” Murray said. “There are a few things we could do better but I’m proud of how they battled through it. They gave their all from the first tee shot to the last. It was a good learning experience for everyone today.”
 
Hruby and Peng will both enter Sunday’s final round at two-over to lead the Huskies, sitting in a tie for 16^th.
 
“We were better in round two than we were in round one,” Murray said. “Hopefully that trend can continue because I expect the course to be even a little more difficult tomorrow than it was today.”
 
For more information on the UW men’s golf team, follow @UW_MGolf on X and Instagram.