Kansas Men's Golf Begins Season With Top-Five Finish

Results

DURHAM, N.C. – Tough playing conditions and breezy winds were a common theme Sunday at the Duke University Golf Club, but those circumstances never fazed the Kansas men’s golf team, as it took home a fifth-place finish at the Rod Myers Invitational.

The Jayhawks completed Sunday’s final round with a score of 296 (+8), the third-lowest team round of the day on the par-72, 7,136-yard course.  Combined, Kansas finished with 174 pars throughout the two-day event, good enough to come in second for that category behind tournament-host Duke.

Wake Forest won the team title shooting a three-round 862 (-2), one shot ahead of runner-up Duke. Kansas’ tourney +19 (883) was four shots behind fourth-place East Carolina’s 879 (+15) and one ahead of sixth-place Liberty’s 884 in the 14-team field.

“I thought the guys played well today,” Kansas head coach Jamie Bermel said of KU’s final round. “Spencer Painton counted today, which was a huge help. Connor Peck had a nice week and I was impressed with Charlie Hillier’s first college event.”

For just the third time in his career, the senior Peck led the Jayhawks in scoring.  Peck began the day tied for 10^th place in the 75-golfer field, and after carding a 75 (+3) in round three, he finished the tournament tied for 12^th place, posting scores of 74-69-75–218 (+2).  Peck was also amongst the tournament leaders in birdies, finishing tied for second, and totaling 13 throughout the course of the event.

As the lone Kansas freshman, Hillier held his ground in his first collegiate golf tournament.  He recorded a 2-under 70 in his first round, which was good enough to be tied for seventh at the time.  Hillier completed the tournament tied for 16^th place, scoring a total of 219 (70-74-75, +3).

Kansas’ leading scorer from a year ago, junior Chase Hanna, shot a 73 (+1) Sunday, which was his best round of the weekend.  His steady play throughout all three rounds allowed him to finish tied for 31^st place, with scores of 75-76-73–224 (+8). 

Sophomore Spencer Painton also recorded his best round Sunday, finishing the event with scores of 77-77-74–228 (+12).  His two-over par, 74, moved him up 19 spots as he finished tied for 42^nd place.

After a solid start to yesterday’s opening rounds, sophomore Daniel Hudson struggled to maintain his consistent play, recording a final total of 72-76-81–229 (+13).  His three pars on the final four holes, however, allowed him to finish the event in the top-50, an accomplishment all the Jayhawks achieved.

“Overall, (it was a) good come back from yesterday’s second round and it was nice to move up the leaderboard,” Bermel said. 

Wake Forest’s Will Zalatoris won the individual title at the event with a three-round 208 (-8) that included two 66 (-6) rounds on Saturday. Forest edged Duke’s Adam Wood by one shot for the title.

Up next: Kansas will start to prepare for the Ram Masters Invitational in Fort Collins, Colorado.  The event will take place September 21-22.

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