Final Round 66 Leads Hughes To Fireline Invitational Title
3/28/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Golden Flashes finish second
GRASONVILLE, Md. — Six strokes off the lead as the day began, Kent State sophomore Mackenzie Hughes (Dundas, Ontario / Highland Secondary) fired a course and tournament record, six-under 66 to capture individual medalist honors at the Fireline Towson Invitational this afternoon at the Prospect Bay Country Club. Led by Hughes' first career win, the Golden Flashes took second in the 19-team field with an eight-over 872 (288-295-289).
Hughes' 66 equals a career low for the 2009 Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year, who finished the 54-hole event with a three-under 213 (73-74-66) after posting six birdies in today's final round. Its the second straight season a Kent State individual has won the event following a victory by junior John Hahn (Las Vegas, Nev. / Hudson [Ohio]), last year.
"Mackenzie had a great start making four straight birdies to begin the day and then just played steady throughout," said Head Coach Herb Page. "Unfortunately we were not able to make a move as a team, but what a great performance and a great win for Mackenzie."
While Hughes was heating up the course the rest of the Golden Flashes were unable to make up any ground on UNC Greensboro which won the team title by six-strokes with a two-over 866 (291-287-288). Kent State finished the tournament with a final round 289 on Sunday giving the squad a six-over 872 (288-295-289) for the weekend.
The duo of junior Brett Cairns (Courtland, Ontario / Holy Trinity) and freshman Kevin Miller (Dover, Ohio / Sugarcreek Garaway) which led KSU throughout the first 36 holes yesterday, finished tied for sixth after each shot a two-over 74 today. For Cairns, who had a three-over 219 (73-72-74), the performance marks his second straight and career best fourth top 10 finish of the season. Miller meanwhile turned in his second lowest 54-hole total and best finish of his career with a three-over 219 (70-75-74).
Hahn closed out the scoring for KSU today with a four-over 75. He ended the event tied for 16th with an eight-over 224 (75-74-75). Freshman Isaac Charette (Hudson, Ohio / Hudson) also finished tied for 16th overall after carding a final round 76 that left him with an eight over 224 (72-76-76).
Individually for Kent State junior J.P. Paiement (Des Ruisseaux, Quebec / Polyvalente St. Joseph), shot his lowest round since the 2008 Boilermaker Invitational with a one-under 71 that moved him up nine spots on the field. Paiement ended the weekend with a seven-over 223 (78-74-71) tying him for 14th overall. Junior John Furlong (Medina, Ohio / Medina) also shot a 71 which gained him 23 spots. Furlong finished with a career low 227 (83-73-71) and tied for 23rd. Freshman Nathan Tarter (Mogadore, Ohio / Mogadore) posted another sub-par round by the KSU individuals carding a career low 70. The score was good enough to move him up 17 places on the 96-man field as he finished tied for 77th with a 240 (86-84-70).
Kent State returns to action next weekend at the Augusta State Invitational in Georgia on Saturday and Sunday.
Kent State (Rd1-Rd2-Rd3=total, to par)
1 Mackenzie Hughes (73-74-66=213, -3)
T6 Brett Cairns (73-72-74=219, +3)
T6 Kevin Miller (70-75-74=219, +3)
T16 John Hahn (75-74-75=224, +8)
T16 Isaac Charette (72-76-76=224, +8)
Individual
T14 J.P. Paiement (78-74-71=223, +7)
T23 John Furlong (83-73-71=227, +11)
T77 Nathan Tarter (86-84-70=240, +24)
rk* team (Rd1-Rd2-Rd3=total, to par)
1 UNC Greensboro (291-287-288=866, +2)
2 Kent State (288-295-289=872, +8)
3 Campbell (293-306-295=894, +30)
4 Towson (307-293-300=900, +36)
Delaware (310-296-294=900, +36)
6 Longwood (310-299-303=912, +48)
7 Rhode Island (308-297-309=914, +50)
Columbia (303-306-305=914, +50)
9 Loyola (Md.) (316-312-299=927, +63)
Boston College (319-304-304=927, +63)
11 Drexel (321-305-304=930, +66)
12 Georgetown (321-305-305=931, +67)
William & Mary (311-304-316=931, +67)
14 Cornell (307-314-314=935, +71)
15 Army (314-316-307=937, +73)
16 Seton Hall (327-305-312=944, +80)
17 LIU (319-315-322=956, +92)
18 Siena (321-322-318=961, +97)
19 Mount St. Mary's (323-327-325=975, +101)
| Team and Individual Results |
