University of Kentucky?s Mark Blakefield was named SEC Golfer of the Week after taking first with a 3-under-par 213 at the Gary Koch/Cleveland Golf Intercollegiate at the Old Memorial Golf Club in Tampa, Fla. The title was the first of his collegiate career. The Maysville, Ky. native carded a season-best 69 in the second round and began the tournament with a 70 and shot a 74 in the final round. Blakefield also helped lead the Wildcats to the team championship at the Gary Koch/Cleveland Golf Intercollegiate, besting second-place Georgia State by five shots (872 to 877).

?Mark is off to a terrific start for his senior season. A win was long overdue for Mark and to see him take the title at the Gary Koch/Cleveland Golf Intercollegiate was a great,? UK head coach Brian Craig said. ?It is nice to see the SEC recognize his early season accomplishment.?

Earlier this season Blakefield recorded a third-place finish at the Inverness Intercollegiate Invitational carding +2 (73-71-71) to help the Wildcats to the first tournament title of the fall season. At the prestigious PING Preview Blakefield also helped Kentucky finish eighth firing 219 (70-73-73). With strong finishes in every tournament this fall the Wildcats received a fourth place ranking Sept. 1 by Golf World.

The Wildcats next travel to Orlando, Fla. for the Isleworth Invitational Oct. 25-26.

-UK-