Taylor Pendrith

Sophomore's 205 the fourth lowest 54-hole total in school history

Lakeside, Calif. — Sophomore Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ontario) finished runner-up as No. 23/26 Kent State placed fifth in the team standings at the Barona Collegiate Cup.  Pendrith's 54-hole score of 205 (-11; 66-72-68) tied for the fourth lowest in school history and paced the Golden Flashes to a 1067 (-13; 343-367-357) in a rare count-five format.  

In a field that featured nine teams ranked in the top 50, host and 12th ranked San Diego State took team medalist honors with a 1051 (-29) besting No. 10 USC by two shots.  No. 37 North Texas was third at 1060 followed by No. 9 Georgia Tech which rallied with a -12 on Friday to slip past Kent State and take fourth by a single stroke.  

Pendrith, who was three back of the leader J.J. Spaun of San Diego State, capped off his finest tournament as a collegian with a tidy 68 (-4) on Friday that included four birdies and no bogeys.  It was his second sub-70 round of the toournament coupled with a 66 (-7) on Thursday. 

Capturing his fifth top 25 in six events this year was sophomore Corey Conners (Listowel, Ontario). Conners' 211 (-5; 66-74-71) was good enough to tie him for 14th.  Senior Mackenzie Hughes (Dundas, Ontario) added a 214 (-2; 66-74-74) which tied him for 22nd.    

Sophomore Kyle Kmiecik (Avon, Ohio) had his second lowest 54-hole score of the season with a 220 (+4; 75-72-73) while junior Kevin Miller (Dover, Ohio) posted a 222 (+6; 71-77-74).

Freshman Nick Scott (Union, Ohio) was a key part of the Golden Flashes final round 357 as his 71 (-1) on Friday matched Conners for the team's second lowest individual round of the day.  After opening with a 79 on Thursday he recovered for a 225 (+9; 79-75-71) total including counters in rounds two & three.  

Competing as individuals were freshman Taylor Zoller (Charleston, S.C.) and sophomore Jack Watson (Lincolnshire, Ill.).  Playing in only his second collegiate tournament, Zoller tied for 36th with a  217 (+1; 74-72-71) while Watson used an opening round 68 to highlight his 226 (+10; 68-77-81).  

The opening round 343 shot by Kent State was the lowest team round for the tournament and set a school record for the count-five formant.  The previous mark in the rare count-five format was a 354 shot in the fourth round of the 1991 Mid-American Conference Championship at Toledo Country Club.  

The Golden Flashes next head to Charlotte for the Irish Creek Collegiate March 30 - April 1.

Follow the team on Twitter @KentStGolf.