The defending NCAA Division II champions haven’t missed a beat.

The Colorado Christian men’s golf team, which won the program’s first national title in May, opened the season by dominating the field on Monday and Tuesday at the Writz at Mile High at Bear Creek Golf Club. 

Defending RMAC individual champion Adam Duncan continued to be one of the best players in college golf. He finished the season-opening tournament at 16-under for a four-shot win. Teammates Sungyeop Cho and Sangha Park finished in second and third place.

The nearest golfer not from Colorado Christian was Valdosta State’s Brandon Cho, who finished in fourth place and 12 shots behind Duncan. The team race was even more lopsided as the Cougars beat Colorado Mesa by 57 shots.

The Cougars have been building a strong program for the last few seasons. Coach Mark Hull said he approached last season with national championship goals and the team came through.

“Built on a foundation of former players who have helped shape the culture which has made us who we are today. So proud of all the guys who have made this program what it is today. What a great day for all of us,” Hull said in May after winning the title.

Colorado Christian returns to the course Sept. 22-24 at the National Championship Preview at The Champion Golf Course in Palm Beach Garden, Fla.

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Hunter Swanson grabs top 5 at Buffs’ opening tourney

The 25th-ranked CU Buffs men’s team started its season with a strong showing Wednesday at the Palouse Collegiate in Pullman, Wash. 

The Buffs finished in second place behind Utah with a fourth-place finish by Hunter Swanson and a ninth-place finish by Dylan McDermott.

Swanson, who played his high school golf at Northfield, fired rounds of 65-67-69 at Palouse Ridge Golf Course. He made just three bogeys over the three-round tournament.

McDermott made match play at the U.S. Amateur for the second straight year and continued his hot play in the first fall tournament of the season. His second-round 63 vaulted him up the leaderboard before finishing with a 71.

Utah took home the title by 12 strokes and the Utes’ Sergio Jimenez won the individual title by six strokes. He opened the tournament with a 61 on Tuesday.

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Mark Hubbard forced to qualify for Procore Championship

Mark Hubbard loves playing in the Procore Championship in Napa, Calif.

He almost missed out on this year’s tournament.

The Colorado Academy graduate missed the registration for the tournament and was not in the field Friday night. Hubbard is exempt on the PGA Tour but still had to register for the tournament.

Hubbard registered for the Monday qualifier at Yolo Fliers Club in Woodland, Calif., and fired a 7-under 65 to get himself in the field.

“I was pretty down in the dumps on Friday, but I feel like I recovered pretty fast and I came out here with a really good head on my shoulders and a good mindset coming into the day,” Hubbard told PGATour.com. “I don’t feel like I would’ve done that even a couple months ago, so I’m pretty proud of myself for that … It’s definitely a learning experience. I hope I don’t do this again, and I almost feel bad taking a spot from somebody, because I should’ve just been in the tournament anyways. It’s a weird situation, but at the end of the day, I can take a lot of positives from it.”

Hubbard played his college golf at San Jose State, which is about 90 minutes from where the Procore Championship is played. He has made the cut six of the eight times he has played in the event.

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What they’re saying

“I think Jennifer probably more so than anyone is a great fit for this golf course. I love how high and how straight she hits a golf ball. You can see it in how many strokes she gains off the tee and her ball striking is always what carries her.”

– U.S. Solheim Cup captain Stacy Lewis on Colorado native Jennifer Kupcho’s selection to the team. It is Kupcho’s third appearance in the Solheim Cup.

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Skins game

Odds to win Procore Championship

Sahith Theegala +1200

Wyndham Clark +1200

Corey Conners +1400

Maverick McNealy +2000

Min Woo Lee +2200

Luke Clanton +2200

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This week in golf

LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour

SOLHEIM CUP

Site: Gainesville, Va.

Course: Robert Trent Jones GC. Yardage: 6,706. Par: 72.

Television: Friday, 5 a.m.-4 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 5 a.m.-1 p.m. (Golf Channel), 1-4 p.m. (NBC); Sunday, 6:45-10 a.m. (Golf), 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (NBC).

Defending champion: Europe.

PGA Tour

PROCORE CHAMPIONSHIP

Site: Napa, Calif.

Course: Silverado Resort (North). Yardage: 7, 123. Par: 72.

Prize money: $6 million. Winner’s share: $1.08 million.

Television: Thursday, 4-7 p.m. (Golf); Friday-Saturday, 4-7:30 p.m. (Golf); Sunday, 4-7 p.m. (Golf).

Defending champion: Sahith Theegala.

European Tour

AMGEN IRISH OPEN

Site: Newcastle, Northern Ireland

Course: Royal County Down. Yardage: 7,186. Par: 71.

Prize money: $6 million. Winner’s share: $1 million.

Television: Thursday, 1:30-4:30 a.m., 6-11 a.m. (Golf); Friday, 4:30-6 a.m., 9-11 a.m. (NBC Sports app); Saturday, 5:30-10:30 a.m. (NBC Sports app); Sunday, 5:30-10:30 a.m. (NBC Sports app), 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (Golf-tape delay).

Defending champion: Vincent Norrman.

LIV Golf League

LIV GOLF CHICAGO

Site: Bolingbrook, Ill.

Course: Bolingbrook GC. Yardage: 7,131. Par: 70.

Prize money: $20 million. Winner’s share: $4 million.

Television: Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. (CW app); Saturday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. (The CW Network).

Defending champion: Bryson DeChambeau.

PGA Tour Champions

SANFORD INTERNATIONAL

Site: Sioux Falls, S.D.

Course: Minnehaha CC. Yardage: 6,747. Par: 70.

Prize money: $2.1 million. Winner’s share: $315,000.

Television: Friday-Sunday, 2-4 p.m. (NBC Sports app), 8-10 p.m. (Golf-tape delay).

Defending champion: Steve Stricker.

Korn Ferry Tour

SIMMONS BANK OPEN

Site: Franklin, Tenn.

Course: Vanderbilt Legends Club (North): Yardage: 7,197. Par: 70.

Prize money: $1.5 million. Winner’s share: $270,000.

Television: Thursday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (Golf); Friday, 2-4 p.m. (NBC Sports app); Saturday, 2-4 p.m. (Golf); Sunday, 3-4 p.m. (NBC Sports app), 4-6 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Previous winner: Grayson Murray.