Chip McDaniel Named Third-Team PING All-America

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Sophomore Tyler “Chip” McDaniel capped one of the most prolific single-season performances by a Kentucky golfer by helping lead his team to a 13th place finish at the NCAA Championships in May. Thursday he added PING Third-Team All-America honors by the Golf Coaches Association of America to his postseason honors. 

He is just the second UK player to earn either first, second or third All-America distinction in the Brian Craig era. UK Athletics Hall of Famer, J.B. Holmes, claimed first-team honors in 2004, was a second-team member in 2005 and a third-team selection in 2002. 

McDaniel is the first Wildcat to earn an All-America nod since Matt Kohn was an honorable mention selection in 2006. 

The Manchester, Ky., native enjoyed a breakout year on the course with six top-five finishes in his second season with the Wildcats. Among those top-five finishes included runner-up at the SEC Championship and a tie for fourth at the Tuscaloosa Regional to send UK to the NCAA Championship for the first time since 2014. McDaniel was named to the All-SEC second team following his runner-up finish at the league tournament.

He capped the season owning the team’s best stroke average with a 71.76 season. McDaniel also fired 20 par-or-better rounds to lead the squad. He was UK’s top finisher at the NCAA Championships as he placed in a tie for 26th over the four rounds of play.

His sophomore campaign began with a torrid start in which he logged top-five finishes in each of his first four tournaments of the season culminating in a win in UK’s final fall event. McDaniel captured his second-ever individual win at The Intercollegiate at The Grove to lift Kentucky to a team victory as well.

McDaniel began the spring season with a tie for 11th at the Puerto Rico Classic and book-ended his spring season with the back-to-back top-five finishes in postseason competition.

McDaniel earned All-America honors after becoming the first Wildcat to earn All-Region accolades since Stephen Powers who was tabbed to the team in consecutive years beginning in 2013. 

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