COLUMBUS, Ohio – Sebastian Bendsen's first top 10 as an individual at Kent State led the Golden Flashes in their seventh-place team finish at the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate.
The sophomore from Denmark followed his 2-under-par first day of 71-69 by shooting a 5-over-par 76 through high winds on Sunday at The Ohio State University Golf Club's Scarlet Course to finish in a five-way tie for fifth place.
The Kent State team, meanwhile, struggled to a 19-over-par 303 to post a 34-over total for the weekend that was 28 behind Kepler champion Georgia Tech.
"Sebastian put together two great rounds and had a very good tournament," said Kent State head coach Herb Page. "I'm happy for him. Other than that, we didn't play very well. With the wind, the conditions were very difficult. And when it is windy like it was this weekend, you have to chip and putt better than we did. Our guys left a lot of shots out on the golf course. No excuses. We have to keep working to get better."
Bendsen, who arrived in Kent as a transfer in January, was just one behind the lead of fellow Denmark native Frederik Hammer of Ohio State at the start of the day. Hammer shot a closing 71 to finish as co-medalist at 3-under with Ollie Schniederjans of Georgia Tech, who fired a 67 for the day's best round on a Sunday that saw winds gusting above 25 mph.
Six consecutive pars to open the round gave Bendsen a brief share of the lead after Hammer bogeyed at the 618-yard sixth hole. A string of three consecutive bogeys from 13-to-15 dropped Bendsen out of contention before a brave 30-foot putt for birdie at the 439-yard 18th secured a top-10 finish.
Senior Taylor Pendrith shot the best round of the day for Kent State at 74. His 7-over-par total for the weekend put him in a tie for 17th place. Senior Kyle Kmieck's final round 77 put him in a tie for 34th at 13-over-par, while fellow senior Corey Conners finished at 14-over for a 41st-place tie. Sophomore Jake Troyer closed with an 80 to tie for 59th place at 17-over.
Playing as an individual, freshman Josh Whalen shot a 75 on Sunday to join Troyer in a tie for 80th.
No. 31 Kent State is back in action April 19-20 in Lafayette, Ind. when it takes part in the Boilermaker Invitational at Purdue's Kampen Course, West.
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| 1 | | +6 | F | +2 | 281 | 291 | 286 | 858 |
| 2 | | +24 | F | +16 | 284 | 292 | 300 | 876 |
| 3 | | +25 | F | +12 | 288 | 293 | 296 | 877 |
| 4 | | +27 | F | +14 | 291 | 290 | 298 | 879 |
| 5 | | +30 | F | +13 | 294 | 291 | 297 | 882 |
| 6 | | +32 | F | +12 | 298 | 290 | 296 | 884 |
| 7 | | +34 | F | +19 | 287 | 296 | 303 | 886 |
| T8 | | +40 | F | +20 | 297 | 291 | 304 | 892 |
| T8 | | +40 | F | +17 | 290 | 301 | 301 | 892 |
| 10 | | +46 | F | +18 | 295 | 301 | 302 | 898 |
| 11 | | +53 | F | +15 | 304 | 302 | 299 | 905 |
| 12 | | +57 | F | +24 | 308 | 293 | 308 | 909 |
| 13 | | +64 | F | +27 | 295 | 310 | 311 | 916 |
| 14 | | +68 | F | +19 | 308 | 309 | 303 | 920 |
| 15 | | +74 | F | +38 | 301 | 303 | 322 | 926 |
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| +2 | +7 | +5 | F | | E | +4 | +3 | F | | +1 | +6 | +6 | F | | E | -2 | +5 | F | | +4 | +4 | +9 | F |
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