Jayhawks Falter in Second Round of Big 12 Championship

April 27, 2012

Day One Results

TRINITY, Texas – Kansas men’s golf posted a 307 (+19) in the opening round of the Big 12 Championship to sit in a three-way tie for sixth place, but a team score of 320 (+32) in the afternoon cost the Jayhawks and put them in last place after 36 holes at Whispering Pines Golf Club Friday.

“We just didn’t play well in the afternoon,” said Kansas head coach Kit Grove. “It’s a hard golf course, there was a pretty strong wind, and we didn’t do a very good job of handling those conditions.”

Dylan McClure carded the best score in each of the first two rounds – 75 and 77, respectively – to lead the team with a 152 (+8) and tie for 24th place with 36 holes remaining.

“You definitely have to be happy with that kind of production out of a freshman,” said Grove. “Tied for 24th is very functional for two rounds of golf.”

After McClure, Doug Quinones had the next-best day for the Jayhawks with rounds of 76 (+4) and 81 (+9) to tie for 36th with a 157. Right behind him was junior Chris Gilbert with a 158 following rounds of 78 (+6) and 80 (+8). Gilbert led the team with five birdies in the morning session, but his first round was plagued by two double bogeys and a triple bogey.

“That’s very unlike him,” commented Grove. “Typically, he’s a player that doesn’t make a lot of big numbers, yet he made three in the morning. I saw him make the one triple bogey on the par-3 (134-yard No. 15). He hit the ball in a hazard, hit a really poor shot from the drop zone into the bunker and ended up with a six. For him to make three really big numbers in the same round is uncharacteristic.”

Trailing ninth place by 14 strokes, Grove said the formula for being competitive in the final two rounds was not too complicated.

“We just have to play better. That’s as simple as you can put it. We obviously can’t compete with the way we played this afternoon.”

Kansas will begin the third round of the Big 12 Championship Saturday at 8 a.m.