By a single stroke this time, CU men finish runner-up at their own Mark Simpson Invite for fourth straight year; elsewhere, UNC’s Timbre Shehee notches another top-10 showing
By Gary Baines – 9/30/2025
ERIE — The University of Colorado men’s golf team has been remarkably consistent over the last 13 months.
For the great majority of the time, that’s been a very good thing as the Buffs have posted a dozen top-3 team finishes through last season and the first month of this one. And that’s no small accomplishment, since many college tournaments feature fields of 15-20 schools.
But one area where CU would love to break out of a pattern — and take a step up — is at its own tournament, the Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational at Colorado National Golf Club. On Tuesday, the Buffs extended a trend with their fourth consecutive runner-up finish at the Simpson tournament.
Normally, second place out of a field of 19 would be a reason to celebrate a little. But the difference between winning and placing a close second is a notable one as team victories are hard to come by. And considering it was CU’s home event, a title would be especially significant.
CU sophomore Parker Paxton placed a college-career-best third individually on Tuesday.
Alas, in Tuesday’s final round, CU made a run at the title but ultimately came in second for the fourth straight year at the Simpson. And, like the last three years, the margin was agonizingly close. Despite finishing with the third-best team total in tournament history, the Buffs ended up a single stroke behind champion Arkansas State.
This after CU finished second by one stroke in 2022, by two in 2023 and by four last year.
The Buffs have now placed third, third and second in their college tournaments so far this season.
On Tuesday, CU’s counting players made four birdies in four tries on the short par-4 17th hole, but couldn’t manage any on the par-4 18th, where the tournament concluded. Arkansas State matched the Buffs par for par on 18, keeping its very narrow advantage for the team title.
The Red Wolves finished at 42 under par for three rounds — the second-best total in tournament history behind Boise State’s 46 under in 2021. CU checked in at 41 under, while Long Beach State, which won its first two tournaments of the season, was third at 40 under.
The University of Denver placed 13th, at even par, while Northern Colorado was 17th, at 10 over.
UNC senior Cooper Tate recorded a top-5 finish at Colorado National.
The individual competition was a lopsided affair as Thomas Schmidt of Arkansas State, a senior from Germany, set the tournament record by seven strokes with a 22-under-par total (64-63-67). In three rounds, he carded an eagle, 22 birdies and two bogeys.
CU put three players in the top 10 individually as sophomore Parker Paxton was third (-13) — his best showing as a collegian and second top-5 of the season — junior Brandon Knight was fifth (-11) and junior Ty Holbrook was seventh (-10). Also cracking the top 10 was University of Northern Colorado senior Cooper Tate, who shared fifth at 11 under, giving him two individual top-5s in September.
CU freshman Tyler Long, from Evergreen, shared 14th place.
Two players who grew up in Colorado — CU freshman Tyler Long (Evergreen) and Boise State sophomore Reese Knox (Peyton) tied for 14th out of 100 players at 7 under.
For all the scores from the Mark Simpson Invitational, CLICK HERE.
— Meanwhile, at the Seattle UniversityPat Lesser Harbottle Invitational in Tacoma, Wash, University of Northern Colorado senior Timbre Shehee, who grew up in Mead, posted her second straight top-10 individual finish.
A couple of weeks after recording a runner-up showing at The Lady Clerico, Shehee tied for sixth out of 84 competitors at the Harbottle. She carded scores of 72-71-73, with her even-par total ending up four behind winner Sienna Harder of British Columbia.
As a team, UNC tied for fifth out of 15 schools.
About the Writer: Gary Baines has covered golf in Colorado continuously since 1983. He was a sports writer at the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder, then the sports editor there, and has written regularly for ColoradoGolf.org since 2009. The University of Colorado Evans Scholar alum was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2022. He owns and operates ColoradoGolfJournal.com