Nov. 26, 2002

El Paso, Texas – Kentucky sophomore golfer John Holmes finished tied for eighth place at the Western Refining College All-America Golf Classic in El Paso, Texas, on Tuesday.

After finishing the first two rounds in second place, three strokes behind the leader, Holmes stumbled in the third, shooting a 5-over par 76 to drop him six spots in the standings. He finished the tournament with a three-round score of 218, 5-over par.

Second-round leader Adam Rubinson, from Texas Christian, held his lead to win by five strokes with a 54-hole total of 208 (-5). Brendan De Jonge (Va Tech) and Ryan Hybl (Georgia) each finished with an even-par 213 to finish tied for second. Past winners of the Western Refining Golf Classic include Jerry Pate (1974), Davis Love, III (1984), David Duval (1991), Notah Begay (1994) and Tiger Woods (1995).

Holmes was one of 24 golfers selected to play in the tournament at the El Paso Country Club. He was selected based on his All-American selection after a phenomenal 2001-02 freshman campaign in which he won two tournaments and had several top-10 finishes. He was also named first-team All-Southeastern Conference.

Holmes and the Wildcat men’s golf team will return to action on Feb. 8, 2003 at the Gator Invtational in Gainesville, Fla.