Former Kent State Golfer to make Masters Debut
4/7/2015 4:26:00 PM | Men's Golf
* Update/April 10 - After going 8-over par yesterday in his amateur debut at the Masters, Corey Conners got over his first-day jitters and shot an impressive 3-under par with a score of 69 in round two. Conners carded six birdies, and had one bogey and a double.
* Update/April 9 – In his Masters debut this morning, Corey Conners shot an 8-over par 80 on the first 18 holes. He is currently tied for 93rd place. Conners made par through the first four holes, but had six bogeys and a double over the next nine. He had three more pars on holes 14, 15 and 16, bogeyed the 17th and birdied the 18th to finish 8-over.
KENT, Ohio- The No. 1 ranked golfer in Canada and former Kent State University men's golf standout, Corey Conners '14, is making his Masters debut as an amateur April 9-12 at Augusta National.
"He will be one of just two Canadians competing in the Masters this week and that's cool for him and his country," said Kent State Director of Golf/Head Men's Golf Coach Herb Page. "It's a huge honor for Corey and a huge honor for Kent State Golf."
Conners, just the second athlete from Kent State to play in the Masters, and Canadian Mike Weir have been paired up with American Ben Crane in the first two rounds. They will tee off at 8:18 a.m. Thursday and 11:25 a.m. Friday.
Although Conners had hoped to turn pro after graduation, his plans quickly changed when he made the final pairing at the Atlanta Athletic Club last summer. He lost a 2-and-1 decision to South Korea's Gunn Yang in the championship, but by making it to the final he earned an exemption into the 2015 U.S. Open and was invited to play at the Masters. To do so, Conners had to maintain his amateur status.
The Listowel, Ontario native was a dominant force in collegiate golf and racked up numerous awards under the tutelage of Kent State Director of Golf/Head Men's Golf Coach Herb Page. Conners was honored as the 2013-14 Co-MAC Player of the Year, was a first-team All-MAC selection, selected to the MAC Championship All-Tournament team, and was named to the Hogan Award Watch List and was presented the 2014 Merle Wagoner Award as Kent State's outstanding senior male athlete. The two-time All-American boasts the fourth-best stroke average in Kent State history (72.90), trailing close behind Ben Curtis.
Besides helping his team to four straight MAC titles, Conners helped lead his Golden Flashes squad to the NCAA Tournament three times and placed as high as fourth as an individual. The fourth place he earned with a one-under 212 (68-75-69) at the Riviera Country Club was the best individual performance ever by a Golden Flash.
"I am proud of how much he improved throughout his career at Kent State," added Page. "From when he came to us as a freshman to where he was as a senior, that's what makes me the most proud. When asked what the best thing he ever did was, I tell people that he received the Merle Wagoner Award (outstanding senior male athlete). He was not only a two-time All-American, but he earned a 3.6 grade point average, he was active in the community and was a leader. He was the epitome of a student-athlete."
A four-year member of Golf Canada's National Team, Conners won the 2014 Jones Cup Invitational, the 2013 Gopher Invitational, was a semifinalist for the U.S. Men's Amateur in 2013 and tied for second in the 2013 Canadian Men's Amateur Championship.
KENT STATE CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
• Two-time Mid-American Conference Golfer of the Year
• Two-time PING All-American & GCAA All-Midwest Region
• Three-time First-Team All-MAC & All-Tournament Team selection
• Four consecutive Mid-American Conference team titles
• 2014 Merle Wagoner Award winner
• Named to Hogan Award Watch List for 2014 & 2013
• The 2014 champion at the prestigious Jones Cup, beating Austin Connelly of Irving, Tex. in a one-hole playoff at Ocean Forest Golf Club in Sea Island, Ga. Finished the 54-hole event atop the 90-player field after a 2-over-par total of 218.
• 2013 GCAA Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholar
• Two-time Academic All-MAC & Academic All-American in 2013
• 2013 Semifinalist at U.S. Amateur at the Country Club in Brookline, Mass. ... Shot 70-73 to qualify for match play, then beat Mexico's Rodolfo Cazaubon 5&4 in the round of 64, Bryson Dechambeau 2&1 in round of 32, Patrick Rogers 5&3 in round of 16, and Neil Raymond 5&3 in the quarterfinals. Finally lost to eventual champion Matt Fitzpatrick 2&1 in the semifinals
