Head coach Brian Craig indicated his team was chomping at the bit to compete again. Through 18 holes, the Kentucky men’s golf team is not only competing, it’s in contention at The Grove in College Grove, Tennessee, finishing the opening day one shot off the lead.
Senior Max Mehles paced the Wildcats with a 3-under 69 and is tied for fourth on the individual leaderboard to lead the way. It marked the 15th par-or-better round of his career. He began his round with a bogey on the opening hole, but then birdied the par-five second to immediately get back to even par. His round really got going with back-to-back-to-back birdies on holes seven through nine to make the turn at 3-under par. His back nine started in much the same fashion with a setback at the 10th, but Mehles got the shot back with another red number this time at the par-three 15th to finish his round with the team-best 69.
Kentucky is sitting in second and just one stroke off of Kennesaw State’s lead at 5-under par. The Cats are tied with South Florida and Ole Miss, while Louisville rounds out the top five at even par.
The second round begins on Monday with Kentucky set to tee off at 8:08 a.m. The Grove is playing at a par of 72 over 7,368 yards. The second round of the three-day 54-hole event is on Monday with the final round coming on Tuesday. Live scoring will be available via golfstat.com.
Redshirt freshman Zach Norris, playing as an individual, made his collegiate debut during today’s round and made quite the splash. Norrish fired a 2-under 70 and is tied for 10th. He played the front nine at 3-under par with birdies on the first, second and seventh holes.
Senior Fadhli Soetarso had another impressive showing after being UK’s top finisher in its first event of the season. Soetarso carded a 1-under 71 and is tied for 15th. Three of his four rounds this season have been 71 or better. Soetarso helped the Cats get back to 4-under par with birdies on the 17th and 18th to finish off his round in style.
Classmate Lukas Euler is at even par and tied for 23rd in his first action of the season. Euler had birdie at the seventh to get to 1-under at the turn. A birdie at the 10th pushed his score to 2-under par. Setbacks on the 14th and 17th were combated with a birdie at the 18th to get back to even.
Junior Matt Liston matched Euler’s round of 72. His round was highlighted by an eagle at the par-five third. Overall he had five holes where he played at par or better.
Senior Fred Allen Meyer tied for 30th with an opening round of 73. He was the first player on the course for the Cats to record an eagle when he achieved the feat at the par-five second.
Junior Allen Hamilton is also tied for 30th with an opening round of 1-over par. Playing as an individual, he had birdies at the first, second, ninth and 18th. UK’s finial individual, Jacob Cook, is tied for 66th after an opening round of 79.
In addition to the Wildcats, the field includes Charleston, Cincinnati, Kennesaw State, Liberty, Louisiana Tech, Louisville, Memphis, Middle Tennessee State, Ole Miss, Purdue, South Dakota State and South Florida.
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s golf team, follow @UKMensGolf on Twitter and on the web at UKathletics.com.
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For more information contact:
Deb Moore