Auer gets First Nod of Season as Jayhawks Travel to Louisiana

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas men’s golf team will travel to Lafayette, La., as the Jayhawks will partake in the Louisiana Classics Invitational Monday, March 10 and Tuesday, March 11, at Oakbourne Country Club.

Representing the Jayhawks will be freshman Chase Hanna, sophomores Connor Peck and Ben Welle, junior Logan Philley, and making his first start of the season redshirt sophomore David Auer.

“We are going to shake things up,” KU head coach Jamie Bermel said. “David Auer has been playing well in qualifying. I’m going to give him an opportunity and we are going to see what he can do. “

Not only will Auer be making his first start of the season, but he will be partaking in his first collegiate tournament in two seasons after utilizing his redshirt in 2012-13.

“Obviously, I am very excited to be traveling and playing again,” Auer said. “Yes, it’s my first collegiate tournament in two years, but I will not approach it any differently than I approach any other tournament. I am ready to go out there and play some Jayhawk golf.”

Hanna will be making his seventh start of the season as he is coming off his best performance of 2013-14 with a 213 (-3) at the Wyoming Desert Intercollegiate. Welle and Philley will also be making their seventh appearance of the season. Welle recorded a two-over par, 218, at the Desert Intercollegiate, while Philley recorded a 230 (+14). Peck will represent the Jayhawks in his fourth straight tournament as he is coming of a 230 (+4) in the Desert Intercollegiate.

The tournament will be taking place at the Oakbourne Country Club, where the players will be pitted against a 6,898-yard par-72 course. Louisiana Lafayette will be the home team with Kansas, Illinois, Illinois State, Louisiana Tech, LSU, New Mexico State, Southeastern Louisiana, Southern Mississippi, Texas State, Tulsa and UT San Antonio rounding out the 12-team field.

The Louisiana Classics Invitational will take place over two days where the competitors will play two rounds, 36 holes, on Monday, March 10, and conclude with one round, 18 holes, on Tuesday March 11.

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