TANAGURA, Japan ? The University of Kentucky men?s golf team turned in a second-place finish in its first outing of the season at the 2006 Topy Cup at Tanagura Country Club in Tanagura, Japan. The Wildcats tied for second with Arizona State, while Tohoku Fukushi won the tournament with a score of 861.

Tohoku Fukushi led the 10-team field, while UK (297-283-289) and ASU (289-283-297) tied for second with scores of 869. Central Florida was fourth with a three-day total of 875 (296-291-288) followed by Nagoya Commerce who rounded out the top five with a score of 884 (294-294-296).

Junior Brad Doster led the Wildcats and tied for third overall with a three-day total of three-under par. The Winter Park, Fla., native shot a 75 in his final round to finish with a score of 213 (71-67-75). Freshman Alex Volepenhein also finished in the top 10 with a seventh-place score of 214 (75-68-71) in his first collegiate tournament.

Sophomore Andy Winings shot a third-round 73 to finish at six-over for the event and tied for 23rd with a score of 222 (77-72-73). Senior Tyler Wilson fired a two-under par 70 in the final round to tie for 31st with a total of 223 (77-76-70), while junior Cale Barr rounded out the scoring for UK with a three-round total of 233 (74-79-80).

?This has been an unbelievable trip. The Japanese hospitality has been off the charts, but the most fun thing about this has been the team chemistry we?ve had,? said head coach Brian Craig. ?The guys have gotten along better than I can really remember and I think this is going to be a very enjoyable year with a bunch of guys who support each other, pull for each other and make each other better.

?Hats off to Brad Doster and Alex Volpenhein for playing a terrific tournament and leading us to a very respectable finish behind a excellent Japanese who has won this tournament in back-to-back years,? added Craig.

The Wildcats return to action Oct. 2-4 when they head to Williamsburg, Va., for the NCAA Preview.