Alex boys' golf: Cards take second behind record-setting Moorhead at sections

• McCulloch

Alexandria senior Austin McCulloch lined up a putt earlier this season. McCulloch almost earned a trip to state but fell in a sudden-death playoff for the final spot. (Echo Press photo by Eric Morken)
• Brundell

Alexandria's Nick Brundell is the lone Cardinal golfer moving on to the state tournament after finishing third at sections. (Echo Press file photo)

Talk about it

The Alexandria boys’ golf team played some of its best golf of the season but it wasn’t enough to come close to a blistering Moorhead squad at the Section 8AAA tournament.

The Cardinals shot a 300 in the second round of the tournament on Tuesday and finished with a two-day score of 609. The Spuds came in as the section favorites and showed why, shooting a new section record 581 behind a dominant performance from Bryant Buckellew.

The Moorhead senior set a new section individual record with a 6-under 138. He tore up the GreyStone Golf Course on Tuesday to the tune of a 7-under 65 to lead his team to the state tournament.

Nick Brundell was Alexandria’s lone qualifier for the state tournament. The junior finished third overall with a two-day total of 147. He was steady throughout, shooting a 74 on Monday before finishing things off with a 73 in round two.

“I was very pleased with how our guys finished their season,” head coach Rick Larson said. “They saved their best golf for the end, which is what any coach wants. Nick Brundell played his usual steady golf.”

Senior Austin McCulloch almost joined Brundell at the state meet. He came back from an 80 on day one to shoot a 73 on Tuesday. That forced a sudden-death playoff for the right to the final individual spot at state.

“He bogeyed the first sudden-death hole and did not make it,” Larson said. “But he has been a solid performer for four years now, and he will be missed.”

Freshman Lukas Bigger shot a 156 after carding an 80 on day two. Kyle Blank rebounded from an 83 on Monday to shoot a 74 on Tuesday. Brady Hafdal finished with a two-day score of 159 and Nic Hanson shot a 166.

“It really was our best showing of the year,” Larson said. “With a young squad and many returning players for next year, the table has been set. If all the players improve this summer, we should be contenders again next spring.”

Brundell will join the rest of the Class AAA field at Bunker Hills in Coon Rapids for the state tournament. The meet will start next Tuesday with round one before wrapping up on Wednesday.

SECTION 8AAA MEET

TWO-DAY TEAM RESULTS – 1. Moorhead – 298, 283 – 581; 2. Alexandria – 309, 300 – 609; 3. Brainerd – 310, 302 – 612; 4. Buffalo – 308, 309 – 617; 5. Bemidji – 312, 312 – 624; 6. St. Cloud Tech – 316, 327 – 643

ALEXANDRIA RESULTS – Brundell – third place, 74, 73 – 147; McCulloch – 80, 73 – 153; Bigger – 76, 80 – 156; Blank – 83, 74 – 157; Hafdal – 79, 80 – 159; Hanson – 81, 85 – 166

Tags: alexandria sports, sports, cardinals, golf