Two Cats in Top 20 Following Day One at Bearcat Invitational
CINCINNATI – Kentucky men’s golf posted its first under-par round as a team this season, Jack Schoenberger and Jackson Klutznick finished the day inside the top 20 individually and the Wildcats find themselves tied for eighth through 36 holes of action on Monday at the Bearcat Invitational.
A total of 18 teams and 96 golfers took to Coldstream Country Club (Par 71, 7,111 yards) for the University of Cincinnati’s home event, a tournament which Kentucky has competed in five times previously. An up and down day, which began with a 9 a.m. shotgun start and concluded just prior to sunset, eventually ended with UK at 9-over par as a team.
Schoenberger, a junior transfer who entered this week with 15 consecutive top 20 finishes dating back to his time at Belmont, paced the Cats with an even-par 142 that has him tied for 12th. The Alpharetta, Georgia native began his day with a 4-under 67 on the opening 18 holes, carding six birdies on the round and helping Kentucky to a first-round team score of 283 (-1). That mark was the best in a single-round for the Blue and White on the young season, and the squad’s first under-par effort of the 2024-25 campaign. In round two, Schoenberger jarred the Wildcats’ first eagle of the year, a feat which came on the par-5 eighth hole (530 yards).
Fellow transfer Jackson Klutznick joins Schoenberger inside the top 20 after Monday’s play, sitting T17 at 1-over par. The 2023-24 Division III Nicklaus Award winner started with a 74 before climbing the leaderboard in the afternoon with a 2-under 69, his first round in red figures as a Wildcat. Klutznick made six total birdies on the day, including two on No. 9 (par 4, 397 yards).
Jansen Preston, who is coming off a career-best finish at the Folds of Honor Collegiate last week, opened his tournament with an even-par 71, his third round even-par round already this season. The Lexington native followed that with a 4-over 75 in round two and will enter tomorrow’s final round tied for 35th.
Freshman Jacob Lang was impressive in his college debut, playing steady golf and contributing two counting scores. Lang collected three birdies in all and was just 2-over par through 35 holes before suffering a triple-bogey on his final hole of the day (No. 7, par 4, 475 yards). He is tied for 52nd at 147 (+5) after Monday’s action.
It was another freshman, Gavin Clutts, who rounded out the Kentucky lineup with scores of 73-76. Clutts converted just one birdie on the day but racked up 28 pars and is T70 at 7-over par for the tournament.
Louisville leads the tournament at 6-under par, followed by Kansas at 2-under. The Cardinals’ Sebastian Moss is the individual front-runner at 8-under par.
The final round of the 2024 Bearcat Invitational is set for Tuesday. Play will once again commence with a 9 a.m. shotgun start. Kentucky will be off on hole Nos. 9-12 alongside Augusta, Furman and Middle Tennessee.
Leaderboard
T12: Jack Schoenberger (67-75)
T17: Jackson Klutznick (74-69)
T35: Jansen Preston (71-75)
T52: Jacob Lang (72-75)
T70: Gavin Clutts (73-76)
Bold = Counting score
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