March 30, 2009
AWENDAW, S.C. – On a record-breaking day, the Kentucky men’s golf team set a team-record score of 273 at the fifth annual Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate, the lowest in the Brian Craig Era. Behind career lows from Jordan Blann and Andy Winings, Kentucky gained two spots in the second round to move into ninth place after the first 36 holes.
Blann, a junior, fired a career-record 64 while Winings, a senior, shot a career-record six-under-par 65 on Monday to help the Wildcats break the previous team mark of 275 set in the third round of last year’s Hootie at Bulls Bay tournament.
The Hootie at Bulls Bay tournament has been kind to Kentucky as the Wildcats have re-wrote the record books during Monday’s second round. UK shot a team score of 273 for the lowest team score since Craig, the team’s head coach, arrived on campus in July of 2001. In the Craig Era, UK has shot a team score in the 270s only nine times.
Entering the second round of Kentucky’s fifth appearance in the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate, Blann was tied for the 24th spot with an opening-round three-over-par 74 on Sunday. At the end of the second round on Monday afternoon, Blann’s seven-under-par 64 set a career mark for the Bowling Green, Ky., native and moved him into outright possession of fourth place. Blann’s previous career mark was a 69 that he shot in the final round of the Rio Pinar Invitational in February of 2009. Blann’s 64 is the lowest score of any player’s career that is currently on the Wildcats’ roster.
Also, setting a new career mark was Winings, the Wildcats’ co-captain, with his second-round 65. Winings’ previous career best came in the third round of last year’s Hootie at Bulls Bay Invite when he shot seven final-round birdies for a six-under-par 65. Currently, Winings is tied for ninth with a two-day total one-under-par 141.
Senior Ben Fuqua had a two-stroke improvement from his opening round, moving him into a share of the 46th spot after firing a second-round two-over par 73.
Sophomore James Kania and freshman Mads Kristensen both round out the scoring for Kentucky. Kania is tied for 59th after shooting a nine-over par and Kristensen is 72nd in his rookie outing in the Hootie at Bulls Bay Invite with a 36-hole total of 154.
Kentucky returns to the Bulls Bay Golf Club tomorrow morning at 9 EDT for the final round with a shotgun start.
The tournament benefits the Hootie and the Blowfish Foundation, which was established in April 2000 to support music education for students throughout the nation.
Live scoring can be found on golfstat.com throughout the tournament and a recap of each day’s action can be found on UKathletics.com following the conclusion of play each day.
9 Kentucky+5 F 300 273 573 4 Jordan Blann -4 F 74 64 138 T9 Andy Winings -1 F 76 65 141 T46 Ben Fuqua +6 F 75 73 148 T59 James Kania +9 F 80 71 151 72 Mads Kristensen +12 F 75 79 154