Kentucky Concludes Day One in a Tie for Third

LOXLEY, Ala. – Sophomore Lukas Euler and junior Tyler “Chip” McDaniel powered the Kentucky men’s golf team to a third place through 36 holes of play at the Steelwood Intercollegiate in Loxley, Alabama, on Saturday. Euler and McDaniel both finished the day in a tie for eighth after logging a combined score of 2-under par through two rounds of play.

UK sits one stroke back of South Alabama for second place with the final 18 holes left to play on Sunday. McDaniel is in search of his third-straight top-10 finish, while Euler is aiming for the first top-10 finish of the season. 

What Head Coach Brian Craig is Saying:

“We played well today, but made way too many mistakes. This team puts a ton of pressure on the course which is hard to teach. We just need to come out tomorrow and stay aggressive. There is still a lot of golf left in this event.”

About the Lineup:

Euler had an incredible day on the course, firing a season-low 69 for his first round of the day, which ties for the third-lowest score on the team all season. Euler played his first nine holes at even par with three bogeys, three pars, and three birdies, and caught fire through the back nine. The sophomore birdied the first two holes on the second nine and two of the last three. Euler sat in third place at the end of the first round. His second round was more of the same, with the sophomore carding a 1-over, 73 over the next 18 holes. He finished the opening day of play at 2-under par and sits in a tie for eighth. 

McDaniel’s began with a 1-under front nine and an even-par back nine for a 1-under opening round. He also carded red numbers in round two with a 70 for the second-straight round. He sits in a tie for eighth heading into the final 18 holes and he’s in search of his third-straight top-10 finish. The Manchester, Kentucky native had four birdies in both rounds and has now logged five under-par rounds in his junior season.  

Junior Cooper Musselman shot 70 in his first round. After bogeying the first hole, Musselman bounced back with three birdies on the same side and eventually finished at even par on the front. On the back nine, the Louisville, Kentucky, native started with a birdie and a string of four pars before accumulating two more birdies and a bogey to finish with a two-under 34. Musselman had four birdies during his second round of play, but finished his round with a 75. He has a combined score of 1-over par through the two rounds and is in a tie for 18th. Musselman has finished in the top 20 of every tournament during the fall season thus far. 

Sophomore Fred Allen Meyer began his day with a 76 before rebounding for a 1-over, 73 in round two. Meyer ascended three spots on the individual leaderboard and concluded his Saturday in a tie for 33rd. Meyer’s second round was highlighted by five birdies, including three on the back nine. 

Senior Stephen Stallings matched Meyer’s combined score of five-over par and is tied at 33rd on the individual leaderboard. Stallings had rounds of 76 and 73. Stallings’ back nine during his second round of action was the highlight of the day for the Louisville, Kentucky native. He had three birdies over his final seven holes. 

Sophomore Fadhli Soetarso, playing as an individual, posted rounds of 75 and is tied for 33th through 36 holes of play. Soetarso had five birdies combined for the day. 

Freshman Allen Hamilton was the final player on the course for the Blue and White and concluded the day in a tie for 49th. Hamilton carded two rounds of 77. 

The Tournament Field:

Kennesaw State leads the field by 17 strokes after a combined 18-under score. South Alabama is second with a 1-under score. Kentucky and South Florida are currently tied for third with an even-par two rounds of play. Three teams are tied for fifth. 

About the Course:

Designed by former U.S. Open Champion Jerry Pate, Steelwood Country Club has been rated as one of the best courses in Alabama by GolfDigest. This scenic course is centered on Steelwood Lake, holds Bermuda grass, and provides many perplexing shots throughout its 7,096 yards. 

The event will begin with 36 holes on Saturday at a 9:30 a.m. ET and a shotgun start. The final round will begin at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sunday with participants going off holes one and 10. Fans looking to follow the action can find live results on Golfstat. 

Steelwood Country Club

Loxley, Ala.

Oct. 29-30

Par: 72

Yardage: 7,096

UK Lineup: 

T8 – Lukas Euler (69-73-142, -2)

T8 – Chip McDaniel (72-70-142, -2)

T18- Cooper Musselman (70-75-145, +1)

T33 – Fred Allen Meyer (76-73-149, +5)

T33 – Stephen Stallings (76-73-149, +5)

*T38 – Fadhli Soetarso (75-75-150, +6)

*T49 – Allen Hamilton (77-77-154, +10)

For the latest on the Kentucky men’s golf team, follow @UKMensGolf on Twitter and on the web at UKathletics.com.