FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Idaho Vandal men's golf team rode a strong second round to a T7 finish at the Ram Master's hosted by Colorado State University Tuesday and Wednesday at the Fort Collins Country Club.
 
The Vandals were six over in their first and third rounds, but spurred by Joe Sykes' six-under 64, put up a nine-under par 271 in the second round.
 
The finish is four spots better than the 11th-place finish at last week's Palouse Intercollegiate with a similarly strong field.
 
"I thought we took a step in the right direction this week in Fort Collins," head coach David Nuhn said. "We saw several teams we saw at Palouse Ridge and were able to best several of them this time around. Joe's 64 and really our whole team's second round was as impressive a round as I've seen in a while. To toss out a 71 and count 4 scores under par at FCCC in the afternoon of a 36-hole day is fantastic."
 
Dalton Dean and Sykes tied at one-over 211 for T24th finish at the tournament. Freshman Charley Simpson and senior Matt McGann finished T31st with a two-over 212. Sam Johnson finished T61st at eight-over 218 for the weekend.
 
"I think the second round alone shows the capability of these guys," Nuhn added. "It's there. Now we just need to work on sustaining that level a bit more throughout. Both events we had a great round. We need 2 great rounds, then all three to be at that ceiling level I know is right there. There are certainly taking a lot of positives to take home with us, and we look forward to a familiar course in a couple weeks at Oregon state."
 
Idaho is back in action at Trysting Tree in Corvallis, Oregon on Oct. 7-8.