Kansas in Second After Day One of Badger Invitational

First Round Results

Madison, Wis. – The hot start to the Kansas men’s golf team’s season continued Sunday afternoon, after finishing the opening round of the Badger Invitational in second place.  Sitting just five strokes behind overall tournament leader Miami of Ohio, the Jayhawks climbed themselves back into contention, with the stellar play of junior Chase Hanna and freshman Charlie Hillier.

“We played solid today as a team,” head coach Jamie Bermel said.  “I thought we avoided the big numbers really well and didn’t have many big numbers which is easy to do out here.”

For now the fourth time already this season, Hanna and Hillier shared the same score in a round.  The teammates shot a three-under, 69, at University Ridge Golf Course and look to close the gap between them and individual leaders Patrick Flavin and Greg Conrad, who are currently tied for first.

Amongst Hanna and Hillier, the two of them combined for 11 birdies on the day.   Their score Sunday marks the second time this season Hillier has recorded a round under par, and Hanna’s first.

“I thought Chase and Charlie played real well.  Charlie made double bogey on his first hole today, but came back well after that start.  I thought he putted the ball extremely well today and Chase had 4 birdies and an eagle,” Bermel said.

Along with Hanna and Hillier, sophomore Daniel Hudson played well Sunday, as he shot a career-best at the Badger Invitational, by carding an even 72.   Heading into tomorrow’s second round, Hudson will look to crack the top-10 on the leaderboard, where he currently places tied for 12^th.

Sitting right behind Hudson is senior Connor Peck, who finished the first round strong, shooting a 35 (-1) on the back nine.   Peck, who is one of the veterans of the tournament, completed the day carding a one-over, 73, where he finds himself tied for 18^th.

Peck’s fellow senior classmate, Ben Welle, who has traditionally done well at the Badger Invitational, will look to improve his first round score tomorrow, as he completed the day shooting a 76 (+4), which included one of Kansas’ two eagles on the day.  The other eagle came from Hanna.

Rounding off the Jayhawks was freshman Drake Hull, who is competing in the event as an individual.   In just his fourth round of his young career, Hull heads into tomorrow’s round tied for 57^th place, after shooting a six-over, 78, this afternoon. 

First tee-off for the second round of the Badger Invitational is slated for tomorrow at 9 a.m.  Live stats and scoring can be followed at birdiefire.com.

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