Golden Flashes deep line-up leads to win at Robert Kepler Intercollegiate for second straight year
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The waiting is the hardest part. On Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction week, the No. 18 ranked Kent State men's golf team did their best Tom Petty impression. The Golden Flashes claimed their fourth title of the season and second straight victory in the 43rd Robert Kepler Intercollegiate at Ohio State's Scarlet Course on Sunday afternoon.
Entering the day in fourth place and four shots off the lead at the start of the day, Kent State was in the next to last group to tee off. That gave the Golden Flashes the opportunity to put pressure on the leaders coming down the stretch and they delivered with a final round 295 on the par 71 - 7455 yard course. In the clubhouse at +46 with a 54-hole score of 898 (308-295-295) all there was left for Kent State to do was wait as the final teams dropped out of the lead while going up against 30 MPH gusts that challenged the field throughout the day.
"We knew that if we could go out an post a number we would be in good position," said Director of Golf/Head Coach Herb Page. "We gained a few shots back on the front nine and as other teams started fading it made it a three team race between SMU, Indiana and us. We were not quite sure that +46 was going to been good enough to win, but after battling and grinding through a tough course all weekend we felt that we gave it a pretty strong effort."
The team title, Kent State's fifth at the Robert Kepler, wasn't secure until the final hole. Max Buckley of SMU needed only a par to secure individual medalist honor, but a birdie to pull his team even with Kent State. Buckey made his par as No. 43 SMU finished at +47 with an 899 (300-300-299). No. 36 Indiana which held the lead after the first and second rounds, took third at +51 (903) followed by Northwestern (+54) and host Ohio State (+57).
Even more impressive in the Golden Flashes victory is that with only a few holes left in the opening round on Saturday morning, the team stood 14th among the 15 teams in the field.
"Coming back from where we were at the end of the first round was something else," said Page. "I have to give our guys credit for hanging in there and just staying focused on playing the course and not worrying about where the other teams where at on the leaderboard."
"After winning by 27-shots in North Carolina like we did last time we played this was certainly a different way to win, but just as gratifying. Winning a tournament is extremely difficult and over the years and we have come up a shot to two behind many times so it is pretty special when you are able to compete the way we did this week and earn the win."
Junior Kevin Miller (Dover, Ohio) was the top performer for Kent State placing fourth to highlight four top 20 finishers for the Golden Flashes. After flirting with a shot at his first collegiate title most of the back nine, he eventually wrapped up his weekend at +9, (222; 77-72-73). Senior Mackenzie Hughes (Dundas, Ontario) claimed his second straight top 10 finish coming in at +13 (226; 73-77-76) which tied him for ninth. Hughes made a nice recovery by closing out Sunday's round with seven straight pars after making bogey on four of his first six holes.
The other top 20 standouts for Kent State were sophomore Corey Conners (Listowel, Ontario) who tied for 13th and sophomore Kyle Kmiecik (Avon, Ohio) who tied for 19th after posting a final round 74. Fellow sophomore Taylor Pendrith (Richmond Hill, Ontario) carded the team's low round on Sunday with a 72 (+1) as he finished tied for 25th in the 81-man field.
"We really hung in there in the afternoon playing and it gives us a chance heading into tomorrow," said Director of Golf/Head Coach Herb Page. "The rain was coming down pretty good all afternoon make the condition tough for everyone, but our guys just kept grinding away. After the rough start to the morning, I think their pride took over a bit in the afternoon and it allowed us to gain a few place and strokes back on the leaderboard."
Competing as an individual freshman Nick Scott (Union, Ohio) placed tied for 40th.
The Golden Flashes head to West Lafayette, Ind. for the Boilermaker Invitational April 21-22..
Follow the team on Twitter @KentStGolf.
Individual
Team scores
|
1 |
|
+46 |
F |
+11 |
308 |
295 |
295 |
898 |
|
2 |
|
+47 |
F |
+15 |
300 |
300 |
299 |
899 |
|
3 |
|
+51 |
F |
+20 |
292 |
307 |
304 |
903 |
|
4 |
|
+54 |
F |
+10 |
305 |
307 |
294 |
906 |
|
T5 |
|
+57 |
F |
+26 |
299 |
300 |
310 |
909 |
|
T5 |
|
+57 |
F |
+14 |
305 |
306 |
298 |
909 |
|
7 |
|
+70 |
F |
+25 |
306 |
307 |
309 |
922 |
|
8 |
|
+72 |
F |
+26 |
305 |
309 |
310 |
924 |
|
9 |
|
+79 |
F |
+17 |
315 |
315 |
301 |
931 |
|
T10 |
|
+82 |
F |
+23 |
308 |
319 |
307 |
934 |
|
T10 |
|
+82 |
F |
+24 |
308 |
318 |
308 |
934 |
|
12 |
|
+83 |
F |
+26 |
308 |
317 |
310 |
935 |
|
13 |
|
+86 |
F |
+26 |
309 |
319 |
310 |
938 |
|
14 |
|
+87 |
F |
+40 |
307 |
308 |
324 |
939 |
|
15 |
|
+90 |
F |
+34 |
311 |
313 |
318 |
942 |
