Colby Friedrich on the tee during round one of the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Golf National Championship on Oct 18, 2022. (Photo From Facebook/Medicine Hat College Rattlers)

By Chris Brown

Rattlers’ Friedrich in the hunt midway through college golf nationals

Oct 19, 2022 | 3:12 PM

DURHAM, ON – Medicine Hat College Rattlers’ Colby Friedrich is in striking distance after two rounds at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association Golf National Championship.

Friedrich was atop the leaderboard and the only player to break par on day one. After day two he sits in second place at 2-over par, two shots back of Simon Menard.

Speaking after round one, Rattlers golf coach Dillon Batsel said he wasn’t surprised to see Friedrich’s name on top of the leaderboard and that he’s got the game to win a tournament like this.

“He hit the ball really good off the tee and really good into the green. I would say his ball-striking would probably be the best part of his game yesterday. Putting was probably right around average maybe even below average,” Batsel said prior to round two.

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“If Colby can hit the ball like he did {Tuesday}, keep his ball-striking up and just make a few more putts he’s going to be right there coming down the stretch,” said Batsel.

Dressed in layers and wearing toques, Friedrich and the rest of the Rattlers battled through chilly, windy and sometimes rainy conditions in the first two rounds at the Deer Creek Golf Club northeast of Toronto. Batsel said usually there are a few days like that in Medicine Hat in September and October to acclimate to those conditions. But they’ve been thrown into in it at nationals and made it challenging.

“It’s tougher to control your golf ball when you’re body’s not moving as well and then it’s tougher to control your golf ball when it’s windy,” Batsel said. “When you add those two together it makes an already tough sport even more challenging.”

Rattlers Jayden Dudas and Chase Broderson are just outside the top 10 at 11-over and 12-over, respectively. Matt Taylor at 34-over and Jonathan Bartman at 43-over round out the Rattlers team.

Overall the Rattler men are in the middle of the 10-team field at 52-over par. The Humber Hawks lead at 29-over.

Libby Bourassa is the only Rattler in the women’s competition. She is at 35-over, in 13th place. Her Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference team is at 68-over and in fifth place.