KU men’s golf middle of the pack after first round
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LAHAINA, Hawaii – Sophomore Andy Spencer carded an eagle on his second hole Friday and Kansas appeared to be off and running during the first round of the Ka’anapali Collegiate Classic, but too many team bogeys kept the Jayhawks in the middle of the 21-team team field. KU completed the first 18 holes of the Royal Ka’anapali Course with a 7-under, 277, and stand in 11th place.
“The course could not have played much easier (Friday),” head coach Jamie Bermel said. “There was very little wind and soft greens. We played okay, but we couldn’t get a fourth score under par. We also made a few careless bogeys that hurt, but we can hopefully turn that around the next couple of days.”
Spencer was firing from the start. During his first six holes, he posted an eagle and three birdies. The Leawood, Kansas native was slowed with a pair of bogeys on holes No. 16 and 17 to finish his front nine. Spencer rebounded with birdies on No. 1 and 3, but a pair of bogeys on No. 5 and 6 countered his progress. Spencer is tied for 20th at 3-under.
Tied with Spencer is junior teammate Charlie Hillier, who played his front nine at 2-under. He finished his round with a team-best six birdies, but added three bogeys to post a 3-under.
“Andy and Charlie were solid (Friday),” Bermel added. “They were both pretty steady all day.”
Senior Daniel Hudson also shared in the early success. After posting par on his first three holes, Hudson knocked in his first of four birdies on hole No. 12. He dropped back to even after a bogey on the next hole, but then finished with three-straight birdies on Nos. 16, 17 and 18. A lone bogey on his back nine, amongst eight pars, put Hudson in a tie for 35th at 2-under.
Fellow senior Daniel Sutton and junior Jake Scarrow were unable to provide the Jayhawks that fourth score. Scarrow ended the round at 1-over and is tied for 65th. Sutton is tied for 86th, after completing the 18 holes at 3-over. Freshman Ben Sigel, playing as an individual, also notched a 3-over, 74.
No. 15 California leads the 21-team field at 18-under, while the Jayhawks are only three strokes off the pace from cracking the top five. Play resumes Saturday with another shotgun start at 1:30 p.m. CT.
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