PALM DESERT, Calif. – The UC Santa Barbara Golf team kicked off the spring season this week as they made the trip to the Classic Club in Palm Desert, California to compete in the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate hosted by the University of Wyoming. After three days of golfing, the Gauchos finished in seventh place out of 17 teams while having two golfers finish in the top 15.
 
"Overall, we played solid as a team," said Head Coach Chris Massoletti. "We had a very similar day today as we did yesterday with the only difference being in how we finished. Yesterday we finished -5 our last three holes and today we played our last three holes in 4 over. That's the difference between beating some really good teams and not. I think we learned a lot and contended with some really good teams."
 
The Gauchos first day of the tournament had Brian Arnold and Nick Waldock leading the way as they both shot three-under as they were tied for seventh individually after the first day. It was also the team's best outing of the tournament as they were tied for third at the end of the day shooting 285.
 
On Day 2, Rajvir Bedi had the best outing for the Gauchos and his lowest round of the tournament, going two-under par. The team as a whole finished out the second day with a score of 289, adding four strokes from the day before.
 
During the final day of the tournament, the Gauchos looked to earn their best finish of the season. Blake McGovern led the team this round with a 71. Waldock was just one stroke behind him to go even on the day.
 
Both Arnold and Waldock ended the tournament shooting 215, which was good enough for them to tie for 15th. Bedi finished third on the team just four strokes behind his teammates with a score of 219. McGovern and Killian McKinley were the remaining two Gauchos who both finished with scores of 223. As a team, they finished one stroke behind the sixth-place team as they put up a score of 866. The team's seventh-place finish is their best tournament finish of the season.

The Gauchos will take the next week to prepare as they get ready for their next tournament in Kauai, Hawai'i. From Feb. 15 through Feb. 17, UC Santa Barbara will compete in the John Burns Invitational hosted by the University of Hawai'i. More information on the tournament will be posted in the coming days.