Kent State University
Stitch Intercollegiate
Flashes Tie for Seventh at Stitch Intercollegiate
4/12/2024 9:53:00 PM | Men's Golf
RALEIGH- Kent State finished in a tie for seventh at the Stitch Intercollegiate, hosted by NC State.
The Flashes had the third-best score on the final day, shooting a 294 on a blustery Saturday that saw the tournament delayed for high winds.
Chris Vandette closed strong, shooting a one-over 72 on the final day. Vandette started on 10 and closed with a one-under back nine to move up 12 spots on the leader board, finishing 33rd. Bryce Reed led the Flashes on the weekend, closing with his second-straight 73 to secure a top-10 finish with a tie for ninth. Reed added two more birdies on Saturday, giving him 10 for the tournament, second-most overall. He made the most of par-5s, playing them at five under for the three rounds, tied for best in the field. Edvin Backstrom was a shot behind Reed for the second-straight round, firing a 74 to finish in a tie for 23rd. Backstrom added three birdies on Saturday, giving him eight for the weekend, tied for fourth in the field. Jordan Gilkison and James Newton shot 75 and 78, respectfully on Saturday finishing 44th and 59th overall. As a team, Kent State carded 35 birdies, third most in the field. The full tournament stats are attached and the overall scores are below.
Kent State is back in the Buckeye state next weekend, playing in the Robert Kepler Intercollegiate hosted by Ohio State. The opening round is set for Friday, April 21.
Kent State 312 290 294 896
T9 Bryce Reed (3) 74 73 73 220
T23 Edvin Backstrom (4) 76 74 74 224
T33 Chris Vandette (1) 84 70 72 226
44 Jordan Gilkison (2) 78 76 75 229
T59 James Newton (5) 84 73 78 235
T53 Ben MacLean (Idv) 71 83 80 234
ROUND ONE RECAP
Ben MacLean shot an even par 71 and sits in a tie for second as the Flashes sit ninth after the opening round.
MacLean played the opening round as an individual, with his total not counting towards the team score. The sophomore had five birdies on the round, including four on the opening nine. The five birdies are tied for the most in the opening round. He played par-3s extremely well, tying for the tournament lead at two-under on those holes
Bryce Reed shot a three-over 74 to lead the team on Friday, sitting 18th overall. The junior had three birdies on the day to go along with 11 pars. The Delaware, Ohio native was exceptional on the par-5s, playing them at two-under par. Edvin Backstrom is in a tie for 32nd after shooting an opening round 75. Backstrom had a trio of birdies on the day, putting him in a tie for the third-most birdies on the day. Jordan Gilkison (T-45, +7), Chris Vandette and James Newton (T71, +13 for both), rounded out the opening round for the Flashes. As a squad, Kent State sits in ninth at +28.
ROUND TWO RECAP
The Flashes shaved an impressive 22 shots off their round one score, shooting a six-over 290 to move up into eighth place. Leading the way in round two was Chris Vandette, shooting a one-under 70. He carded five birdies including three in a four-hole stretch.
Bryce Reed is tied for the tournament lead with eight birdies and sits in a tie for 15th overall after a two-over 73. Reed matched Vandette with five birdies. James Newton went three under on his opening nine and also closed round two with a 73, Edvin Backstrom was a shot back with a 74 second round and Jordan Gilkison rounded out a strong second round with a 76.
The Flashes as a team have 26 birdies, good for third in the tournament. They will wrap up the Stitch Intercollegiate on Saturday morning, pairing with VCU and Coastal Carolina. A shotgun start is set for 9 a.m. on Saturday. Fans can follow along on live stats, here
Players Mentioned
