Hopfinger Leads Jayhawks to Sixth Place Finish at 2008 Big 12 Championship

April 27, 2008

TRINITY, Texas –

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Brad Hopfinger fired a final round 68, tying the best round of the day among all competitors, to lead the Kansas men’s golf team to a sixth place finish at the 2008 Big 12 Championship in Trinity, Texas. Hopfinger finished tied for seventh place, tying Gary Woodland’s 2006 finish, for the top individual Jayhawk finish in the last five years at the event.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

The finish marks the best finish of Hopfinger’s career and with the finish Hopfinger was named to the All-Tournament Team. Today’s round also marks the ninth round of the year where Hopfinger has broken par. This is the third straight year the Jayhawks have had an individual make the All-Tournament team as Hopfinger’s teammate Walt Koelbel accomplished the feat in 2007 and Gary Woodland did the same in 2006.

“Brad played very well today and he really put together a great for week for us,” said head coach Kit Grove. “For a freshman to make the All-Tournament team says a lot about the quality of player that Brad is.”

The team’s sixth place finish marks the Jayhawks second best finish in the event in the last eight years. The finish also marks the Jayhawks second best finish of the season and its best finish of the spring campaign.

“Coming into this week I thought that a eighth or ninth place finish for us would be pretty good with the way that we are playing, but the guys played very well all week and I am very proud of them,” said Grove. “This should give us a lot of momentum heading into next season.”

Walt Koelbel shot a final round 79 to finish the event tied for 22nd place. The finish marks Koelbel’s top finish of the spring season.

Sophomore Patrick Roth carded a 76 in the final round and finished the event tied for 37th place. The finish also marks Roth’s top finish on the year.

Freshman Nate Barbee shot a final round 83 and tied for 41st place. Junior Zach Pederson shot his best round of the event with a final day 75 and finished in 58th place.

Oklahoma State shot a final round 291 and won the event by 20 strokes. It marks the Cowboy’s sixth Big 12 Championship. Rickie Fowler shot a final round 68, tying Hopfinger for the top round of the day, to win medalist honors with a four-round score of 279.

The Jayhawks will now wait to see if they are selected to compete in the NCAA Central Regional.

Team Leaderboard

1. Oklahoma State (285-282-283-291–1141)

2. Texas (288-294-286-293–1161)

3. Texas Tech (302-282-282-299–1165)

4. Texas A&M (299-284-294-301–1178)

5. Baylor (298-296-298-299–1191)

6. Kansas (303-295-298-298–1194)

7. Oklahoma (295-297-308-300–1200)

8. Kansas State (297-307-301-297–1202)

9. Iowa State (298-314-292-303–1206)

10. Colorado (311-303-296-298–1208)

11. Nebraska (303-300-305-317–1225)

12. Missouri (312-304-305-316–1237)

Player Leaderboard

1. Rickie Fowler, Oklahoma State (72-68-71-68–279)

2. Kevin Tway, Oklahoma State (72-68-70-73–283)

3. Garrett Merrell, Texas Tech (76-67-68-74–285)

4. Chris Ward, Texas Tech (72-69-71-75–287)

5. Andrea Pavan, Texas A&M (76-71-67-74–288)

T7. Brad Hopfinger, Kansas (75-70-77-68–290)

T22. Walt Koelbel, Kansas (74-72-73-79–298)

T37. Patrick Roth, Kansas (78-77-74-76–305)

T41. Nate Barbee, Kansas (76-76-74-83–309)

58. Zach Pederson, Kansas (81-85-80-75–321)

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