The Kentucky men?s golf team shot its tournament low-round of four-over par (284) Saturday at the NCAA Championship to finish seventh. It was the highest finish in school history at the Championships, which were held at the Caves Valley Golf Club in Hunt Valley, Md. Senior Matt Wells shot 68 on the afternoon, the best round by a Wildcat in the event and one shot off his career low round.
Wells birdied three holes on the afternoon, including two of the last three. The Wilmington, N.C., native sunk a 45-foot putt off the back fringe on the No. 9 hole to ring up the birdie on his final collegiate stroke. Wells completed the tournament 12-over par score of 292 (75-75-74-68).
The Wildcats were 41-over par (1161) for the tournament (291-292-294-284), while senior John Holmes closed his collegiate career with tied for seventh place overall, earning him All-America honors. The four-time All-SEC selection was two-over par Saturday and finished three-over par for the tournament with a total score of 283 (70-72-69-72).
Brandon Waldrop shot one-over par (71) in the final round and finished 14-over par with a tally of 294 (74-71-78-71) in his final college tournament. Mark Blakefield was five-over on Saturday and was 15-over par (72-77-73-75) over the four days.
Matt Kohn, the lone returnee of the group next season, fired a three-over par 73 in the final round and had a four-day total of 309 (76-74-86-73).
Georgia claimed the 2005 NCAA title after all five of its golfers shot even scores of 70 in the final round. The Bulldogs were 15-over par (1135) for the tournament. Washington?s James Lepp defeated Pepperdine?s Michael Putnam in the third playoff hole to take the individual title. Lepp was seven-under par (63) in Saturday?s final round.
The 2005 SEC Champions finished eighth in last year?s NCAA Championship. Kentucky competed in its third-consecutive NCAA Championship and its third in four years under Coach Brian Craig. The Cats return eight players next season, but lose the services of its core group of seniors in Holmes, Wells, Waldrop and Blakefield.