Goff Surges into the Top 15, Wildcats Finish in 12th at Hootie
AWENDAW, S.C. – For the seventh time in his career and the third time this season, Kentucky men’s golfer Alex Goff earned a top-20 finish when he surged into a tie for 12th at the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate following a final round 4-under-par 68. The Wildcats combined for an even-par scorecard on day three and finished in 12th in the event, saving their best round for last.
Goff led two Cats under par during Tuesday’s round. Graduate student Jacob Cook posted a 1-under score to end his tournament on a high note.
“We played better today,” UK head coach Brian Craig said. “Consistency is key for this team and we did not have it this week. Alex Goff played the final 36 holes beautifully which was huge for us. It is back to work and then on to the best field of the year down at the Country Club of Birmingham.”
No. 18 N.C. State (-18) edged Missouri by two shots to win the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate. Ninth-ranked Auburn and Kent State tied for third at 15-under par, and Duke finished in fifth with a 1-under score.
Goff was superb during the final round, opening with back-to-back birdies at the par-five 10th and the par-four 11th. He carded another birdie at the par-three 17th to make the turn at 3-under par. His lone blemish of the day came at the par-three third, but he wasted little time getting back on track with a birdie at the par-five fourth. The Kings Mountain, North Carolina, native finished the day with a birdie at the par-five sixth to get to 4-under for the day. He played even-par the rest of the way to close out his week with back-to-back sub-70 scores.
He now has logged three top-20 finishes on the season, but this was the first during the spring slate.
Cook moved into a tie for 57th overall following his round of 71 on the final day. Cook picked up a birdie at his second hole, the 11th. The Frankfort, Kentucky, native yielded the shot back at the 15th as he made the turn at even par. The third cost him a shot as well, but he erased the mistake with an eagle at the par-five fourth to turn his round around. He then had a bogey-birdie-bogey to move back to even par. But he saved his best for last with a birdie on his final hole at the par-four ninth to move back to under par.
He has eight par-or-better rounds this season which is just one shy of Goff who leads the squad with nine.
Senior Allen Hamilton matched Cook’s finish with a tie for 57th. Hamilton posted a 1-over-par 73 on Tuesday. He was the third Wildcat to earn a birdie at the 11th to get his round going in style. A birdie at the 17th offset a bogey at the 14th as he made the turn at 1-under par. He made just one mistake on the back nine for his final score.
Graduate student Reid Bedel tied for 64th following a round of 76. Sophomore Cooper Parks also shot a 76 on Tuesday and finished in a tie for 70th.
Freshman Hugo Archer put together an even-par score for the second straight day. He played exceptionally on the back nine with a trio of birdies to highlight his round. Archer finished in a tie for 64th as an individual.
The Wildcats will waste little time in returning to the course. UK is next in action April 5-7 at the Country Club of Birmingham which will now host the Shoal Creek Invitational.
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