The last tournament Serge Kiriluk competed in, he was playing as an individual. This time, the junior from Sonora led the Chico State men's golf team.
Kiriluk shot a 1-under-par 70 for the Wildcats' best score in the first round of the South Central/West Region Preview held at La Paloma Golf Course in Amarillo, Texas. In last Tuesday's second round, Kiriluk carded a 2-under 69 as he finished at 3-under 139, good for third in the field of 120 golfers to earn Wildcat of the Week honors.
Kiriluk birdied his first hole of the tournament. He would go on to birdie three more holes on the course's back nine without anything other than pars as part of a 4-under 31 halfway through his round. He tacked on two more birdies before he reached the clubhouse. No one else in the field of 120 had more than his six birdies.
Kiriluk started his second round with seven pars after teeing off from No. 10 again. He then eagled the 17th hole and birdied the 18th. His 69 would equal the Wildcats' best score of the day as they made up 14 shots on the field and finished one shot out of the top spot, held by Colorado-Colorado Springs. The Wildcats' team score of 6-under par on Tuesday was not only the best round of the tournament, but the Wildcats were the only team to break par in the second round.
Kiriluk tied for 23rd on the leaderboard in the Tim Tierney Pioneer Shootout when he had to play as an individual while the Wildcats finished fifth as a team. Back in the lineup, Kiriluk didn't let up, and neither did Chico State in the tournament that serves as a precursor to the South Central/West Regional in May.
