🏌️♂️ Jayhawks Earn Third Tournament Title of the Fall
VERO BEACH, FLA. – The Kansas Men’s Golf team won its third straight stroke play tournament championship Monday morning, finishing the Quail Valley Collegiate Invitational at -35, and winning by seven strokes.
The Jayhawks topped the 16-team field with Kent State (-28) and Michigan State (-23) rounding out the top three. The win at Quail Valley gives Kansas three tournament titles in its last three stroke play tournaments as the Jayhawks also captured the Gopher Invitational and the Windon Memorial last month. The three tournament titles in one season mark the most since Kansas won four tournaments during the 2015-16 season.
“It was a total team effort this week,” Coach Jamie Bermel said. “We didn’t have our best stuff today, but it was good enough to still win by seven shots.”
Kansas was led at Quail Valley by seniors Harry Hillier and Callum Bruce, who both finished tied for second at -11. Both players fired a one-under 71 on the final day. Hillier had three birdies and two bogeys on his card, while Bruce had six birdies and five bogeys. Bruce has now finished inside the Top 10 in three straight tournaments for the Jayhawks after a T4 finish at the Gopher and a T7 at the Windon.
Hiller’s finish is his best of the season, topping his previous high finish of tying for 12th at the Marquette Intercollegiate. It’s the seventh Top 5 finish of his career. His three-day score of 205 tied his career low in his 34th tournament as a Jayhawk.
Sophomore Davis Cooper, a winner at the Windon, secured a Top 20 finish, tying for 19th. Cooper shot a two-under 70 to get to -5 for the tournament. Cooper had four birdies on his back nine after an even-par 36 on the front.
Sophomore Luke Kluver had the low round of the day for the Jayhawks on Monday, shooting a three-under 69 to finish at -4 and tied for 25th. He had four birdies and an eagle in his round. Senior Ben Sigel tied for 47th at +1.
“I thought Luke responded well today and Davis Cooper had a solid round,” Bermel said. “Callum and Harry were trying to win the individual title as well, and just came up a little short. We had a big lead going into the final round and actually had the lead to 14 with six holes to play.
“I’m happy for the guys; it’s a great day for Kansas golf.”
