Jayhawks Complete Another Top-Three Finish

Final Results

PHOENIX, Ariz. – With the Jayhawks already having one of the best seasons in recent memory, the Kansas men’s golf team added to the list of accomplishments after finishing second in the Desert Shootout. The placing marks the sixth top-three finish of the year and eighth top-five finish this season, which ties a program record and the most top-five finishes since the 2003-04 campaign.

Shooting rounds of 279-276-276–831 (-33), KU ended the event behind Big-12 foe Iowa State, who won the two-day tournament by an eight-stroke margin. The two top teams participating in the tournament led the 20-team field in birdies recorded, which helped guide them to be the only teams to shoot under 280 during all three rounds.
 
“It was a pretty good day today but hats off Iowa State, as they were better today,” Kansas head coach Jamie Bermel said. “We were able to get it within two, as our guys played pretty well but evidently we needed to do a lot better to win.”
 
For the Jayhawks, Connor Peck led the team in scoring for just the second time this season. His scores of 68-70-67–204 (-12) were good enough to complete the tournament in fifth place, which marked his second top-five finish of the season. His 204 score was also the second-lowest score a Jayhawk has carded this season, behind senior Ben Welle’s 202 at the Price’s Give ‘Em Five Invitational (Oct. 23-25).
 
As Peck’s senior counterpart, Welle placed tied for 29^th in the event, after firing off scores of 72-70-70–212 (-4). By finishing four-under, Welle has now finished a tournament under par five times and extended his team-leading rounds under par to 15.
 
Along with Peck, junior Chase Hanna also carded scores under par in all three rounds, after scoring 67-70-70–207 (-9).  His 207 strokes ties for a season-low, which was good enough to finish tied for 10^th as well. It marks his fifth top-10 finish of his seasoned career and second top-10 finish of the season.
 
After carding scores of 74-67-69–210 (-6), sophomore Daniel Hudson walked off the course with his fourth top-20 placing of the season, finishing the event tied for 18^th. This event also marks just the second time throughout the 2015-16 campaign that Hudson has finished a tournament under par.
 
Rounding off the group of Jayhawks who represented Kansas was freshman Charlie Hillier. The New Zealand native continued his stellar play in opening rounds of tournaments, after he carded an even-72. By the time the three rounds were finished, Hillier had recorded 213 (-3) total strokes, which was good enough to be tied for 36^th.
 
Competing in his fourth event of the season, as an individual, was sophomore Brock Drogosch. Despite completing the tournament tied for 86^th, Drogosch tied his season-low after scoring 72-75-75–222 (+6).
 
Up next for the Jayhawks, Kansas will begin to prepare for the next event, where the team will travel to Awendaw, South Carolina and compete in the Hootie At Bulls Bay Intercollegiate April 3-5.

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