ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of Colorado men’s golf team moved up one spot into a second place finish but couldn’t catch host New Mexico as the Buffaloes finished runner-up for just the third time here as the 58th Annual New Mexico Tucker Invitational was completed here Saturday.

The Buffaloes entered the day in third place, 15 shots back of the Lobos, and pulled to within 11 strokes early; but the home team got hot in the middle of the round and pulled away, finishing with a 15-under par 848 team score for a 29-stroke victory over the Buffaloes. Colorado posted a 14-over team score of 878, while San Francisco, in second after two rounds, slipped to third with a 22-over 886 tally.

Colorado is one of three schools to have played in all 58 Tucker invitationals (along with host New Mexico and New Mexico State); the Buffs have never won here but did also finish second in 1956 and 1981.

Senior Jason Burstyn and sophomore David Oraee led the Buffaloes here, as both tied for seventh with 1-over par 217 scores on the 7,578-yard, par-72 UNM Championship golf course.

Burstyn closed his efforts with a 4-over 76, scoring two birdies and six bogeys with 10 pars; his 12 birdies led cu for the week as he posted his third top 10 finish in four meets this fall.

Oraee had three birdies, nine pars and six bogeys en route to his final round 75 (3-over), as he duplicated his finish earlier in the week at CU’s Mark Simpson Invitational. He also has three top 10 efforts this season.

Senior Beau Schoolcraft recorded the team’s best individual score for the second straight round, and was the only Buff under par in the final round with a 1-under 71; he played a solid 18 with three birdies and 13 pars against just bogeys to finish up with a 4-over 220 score which tied him for 13th place (his third top 20 finish this fall). He had eight birdies, a team-best 34 pars and 12 bogeys for the tourney.

Senior Derek Fribbs tied for 38th with a 75 Saturday for a 10-over 226 score. He wrapped things up with two birdies, 12 pars, three bogeys and a double. Freshman Philip Juel-Berg tied for 53rd after fashioning a 2-over 74 in the final round for a 14-over 230. He had two birdies, 12 pars and four bogeys Saturday.

Junior Johnny Hayes competed here as an individual, closing things out with a 5-over 77 (one birdie, 11 par, six bogeys). That also gave him a 14-over 230 total, thus tying Juel-Berg with a 53rd place finish. He had CU’s lone eagle here this weekend with four birdies and 30 pars.

“We got off to a good start and made up a couple of shots, but the New Mexico just hit the gas and ran away from everyone,” coach Roy Edwards said. “We knew the guys would be a little tired from a pretty long week (CU’s tournament was last Monday and Tuesday), and we kind of ran out of gas and didn’t play very well on the back nine. But it’s a credit to the guys to still go out there and shoot the fourth lowest round of the day and also move into second place. We still matched the highest we’ve ever finished here, and it had been three decades since we finished this high.

“I don’t think any team in the country would have beaten New Mexico today. So we’re excited about that.”

CU’s 7-over 295 score on Saturday trailed New Mexico’s 281, the best team round of the tournament, and Minnesota and UTEP’s rounds (294) by a single shot.

New Mexico’s Gavin Green recorded a final round 69 for a 7-under 209 total to win by one stroke over Minnesota’s Erik Van Rooyen, who closed with a 71 and a 210 score.

The Buffaloes, now 37-2 against Division I competition in three tournaments this fall, are off for two weeks until Oct. 8-9, when they will travel to Portland to take part in the Pac-12 Conference Fall Preview.

“Overall, it was a good, solid week for the Buffaloes,” Edwards added. “While we didn’t play our best today, Beau turned in a quality round and Jason and David had solid tournaments.”

BUFFALO INDIVIDUALS (*—played as an individual)
T7. Jason Burstyn………………………………….. 68-73-76—217
T7. David Oraee……………………………………… 69-73-75—217
T13. Beau Schoolcraft……………………………… 77-72-71—220
T38. Derek Fribbs…………………………………….. 75-76-75—226
T53. Philip Juel-Berg………………………………… 79-77-74—230
T53. *Johnny Hayes………………………………… 75-78-77—230

TOP 5 INDIVIDUALS
1. Gavin Green, New Mexico……………………. 71-69-69—209
2. Erik Van Rooyen, Minnesota……………….. 66-73-71—210
3. John Catlin, New Mexico……………………… 76-69-67—212
4. Cory McElyea, San Francisco……………… 69-69-75—213
5. Pete Fernandez, UC-Irvine…………………… 70-69-75—214

TEAM SCORES
1. New Mexico………………………………….. 283-285-281—849
2. Colorado…………………………………….. 289-294-295—878
3. San Francisco………………………………. 297-284-305—886
4. Brigham Young…………………………….. 298-293-299—890
4. Minnesota……………………………………. 288-308-294—890
4. Baylor………………………………………….. 296-290-304—890
7. Texas-El Paso………………………………. 299-298-294—891
8. UC-Irvine……………………………………… 287-301-304—892
9. Arizona…………………………………………. 293-299-303—895
10. Utah…………………………………………….. 303-297-302—902
11. Texas-San Antonio……………………….. 301-299-305—905
12. New Mexico State…………………………. 304-299-305—908
13. Wyoming………………………………………. 308-292-310—910
14. Pepperdine…………………………………… 310-300-308—918