UK MGOLF: McDaniel Earns a Top-Three Finish to Cap Bearcat Invitational

Junior Tyler “Chip” McDaniel earned his first top-three finish of the season and senior Stephen Stallings captured a career-best finish to lead the Kentucky men’s golf team to a sixth-place showing at the Bearcat Invitational at the Coldstream Country Club in Cincinnati.
McDaniel carded the lowest round of the day of any golfer on the course with a four-under, 67. It marked his second-straight round going under par. He finished the tournament with a 1-under combined score which was good for a tie for third place overall on the individual leaderboard. It’s the seventh time in the last two seasons he has finished in the top five of a tournament.
Stallings was also impressive with a career-low finish of seventh following a round of 1-over par on the final day of competition. Stallings logged rounds of 70-72-72 in the two-day event for his second-straight finish of 11th or better to begin his final campaign.
The Wildcats wrapped up action with a sixth-place showing and a 14-over par combined score. Junior Cooper Musselman was the third Wildcat to earn a top-20 finish to lead the charge.
What Head Coach Brian Craig is Saying:
“This was a terrific event on a championship golf course. Unfortunately, we had an off week overall. Chip McDaniel and Stephen Stallings played solid golf and that was great to see. We will learn from this week and apply it to get better. The upside of this team is off the charts and we will keep working to get better.”
About the Lineup:
McDaniel was simply sensational to begin his round, going 5-under in the opening 10 holes of action. The Manchester, Kentucky, native had birdies on the par-four first, par-four third, par-three fifth, par-four sixth and the par-five 10th. A bogey on the final hole resulted in the 4-under score. The 67 matched the low round of any golfer for the week and it was the lowest round of play over the final 18 holes of competition.
Stallings played an even opening nine holes of action before birdieing the No. 10 hole. Bogeys on the 13th and 18th resulted in the 1-over, 72. Stallings’ steady play garnered the top-10 finish, the third of his career.
Musselman posted his ninth top-20 finish of his career, including the second of the season behind a 20th-place finish at Coldstream. Musselman tallied rounds of 73-72-74 to finish 6-over for the tournament. His final round featured birdies on the par-five fourth and the par-four ninth.
Junior Evan Cox tied for 30th in his second tournament with the Wildcats. He capped his week with a 76 in today’s final 18 holes of action. Cox carded three birdies during the round including one-stroke better at the No. 1, No. 10 and No. 14.
Sophomore Fred Allen Meyer and freshman Allen Hamilton rounded out UK’s scores with rounds of 75 and 78, respectively. Meyer was 39th overall and Hamilton, appearing in his first collegiate event, finished tied for 51st.
The Tournament Field:
Michigan State took home the team crown with a combined 54-hole score of 3-over par. Ohio State placed second with a 7-over score, while the College of Charleston rounded out the top three with a 9-over score. The host Cincinnati Bearcats and Mississippi State tied for fourth with a 12-over score, followed by UK’s 14-over par mark for sixth. Middle Tennessee State was nine strokes back of the Wildcats.
Up Next for UK:
Kentucky returns to action on Monday, Oct. 10 at the Kenny Perry Invitational in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The two-day tournament will be played at The Club at Olde Stone.
Coldstream Country Club
Cincinnati, Ohio
Sept. 25-26
Par: 71
Yardage: 7,081
6 – Kentucky (292, 286, 288 – 866, +14)
T3 – Chip McDaniel (75, 70, 67 – 212, -1)
T7 – Stephen Stallings (70, 72, 72 – 214, +1)
T20 – Cooper Musselman (73, 72, 74 – 219, +6)
T30 – Evan Cox (74, 72, 76 – 222, +9)
T39 – Fred Allen Meyer (75, 75, 75 – 225, +12)
T51 – Allen Hamilton (76, 76, 78 – 230, +17)
by Deb Moore
Assistant Media Relations Director
University of Kentucky