KU claims Desert Mountain title behind five top-20 finishes

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – After all was said and done, every individual in the Kansas men’s golf lineup finished in a top-20 position at the Desert Mountain Intercollegiate. The culmination of success from top to bottom put the team at 11-under and earned the team its first victory of the 2017-18 season. The first-place finish was 21 strokes above the next team, marking the fifth-largest margin of victory in program history.

“The guys played really well all three rounds,” said Kansas head coach Jamie Bermel. “It is always a little more difficult to win when leading from start to finish but they were in control all 54 holes.”

Sophomore Andy Spencer came up a stroke shy of his first career medal, but will walk away with his third top-5 finish of the season. Spencer ended the event going 5-under on par-4 holes on the event, which is the lowest par-4 total out of the playing field. He also accumulated 13 total birdies, which led to his 3-under finish in the two-day stretch.

“Andy has played solid all year,” added Bermel. “He’s been close to winning a couple of times. If he keeps knocking at the door, he’s going to get through and win one of these events.”

Two Jayhawks ended tied for eighth place, as junior Charlie Hillier and senior Daniel Hudson finished 2-under. Hillier’s tournament featured two rounds under par, including his final day 71, which has increased his total number of rounds even or under-par to 14, the most on the team. The final-round 71 resulted in a four-spot jump up the leaderboard for Hillier, earning him his first top-10 finish of the year.

For Hudson, his final round featured three birdies on his first nine holes out of the turn. Despite a bogey and a double bogey on his final five holes, Hudson was able to chalk up his second top-10 ending on the season. His 14 birdies on the event were tied for the sixth most out individual birdies.

Freshman Harry Hillier continued to make a statement in the early stages of his college golf career. In just his second-collegiate event, Harry Hillier’s final day 71 was tied for the best on the team. On the event, Harry Hillier chalked up 31 pars and 12 birdies. The weekend-long consistency put the freshman at an even-par total, tied for 11th place.

Two spots behind Harry Hillier was senior Daniel Sutton, who ended the tournament at 1-over. Sutton’s back nine was troublesome on his final round as four bogeys dropped him just outside of the top-10. Nonetheless, Sutton will end with his third top-20 appearance on the season.

Making an individual appearance, junior Jake Scarrow ended 7-over on the event, tied for 23rd place. Scarrow’s final round was also afflicted by the back nine, where a trio of bogeys and a double bogey moved the junior just out of a top-20 finish.

With the first win under the belt for the team, Bermel believes this feat can kick-start a train of momentum for his team.

“It was a great team effort from all of the guys,” said Bermel. “Certainly the win will help with our confidence and knowing that we can win.”

With a successful showing at the Desert Mountain Intercollegiate, the focus will now be shifted to March 19, when the team will head to San Antonio to take place in the Lone Star Invitational.

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