Sept. 28, 2008
Led by senior Ben Fuqua’s (Danville, Ky.) six-under-par 65, the Kentucky Men’s golf team took home a second-place finish in the Mason Rudolph Intercollegiate. It marked the second consecutive top-five finish for Kentucky this fall season.
The Southeastern Conference represented itself well, taking four of the five top spots in the tournament. Number 11 South Carolina, (281-280-278), won the tournament after carding a six-under-par as a team. Kentucky (285-283-279) finished second with a five-under-par performance. Rounding out the top five was Mississippi State (291-282-277), shooting a two-under par. Middle Tennessee State (294-282-278) and tournament-host Vanderbilt (283-286-286) finished two-under-par and three-under-par, respectively.
Tying his career record, set in the second round, Fuqua shot another 65 after draining five birdies on the front-nine holes. His final score, 15-under-par, paced him seven strokes ahead of his nearest competitor. For the tournament Fuqua carded 20 birdies and 29 pars.
“Ben’s performance was the single best individual performance from a Wildcat I have ever witnessed,” Coach Brian Craig said. “To shoot a 68-65-65 for a 15-under-par total and seven strokes ahead of anyone is quite spectacular against the field we faced this week.”
Senior Andy Winings (Brownsburg, Ind.) contributed two rounds at or under par, (69-73-71), in the tournament to finish even and tied for 14th place.
Following Fuqua’s lead, junior Brian Belden (Emmaus, Penn.) had a career day as well after shooting a two-under-par 69. He finished the tournament in a tie for 31st.
In his first tournament as a Wildcat, freshman Mads Kristensen finished tied for 35th after a six-over-par performance over the past three days while sophomore James Kania carded a 12-over-par to finish tied for the 65th spot.
Competing as an individual, junior Jordan Blann (Bowling Green, Ky.) shot a three-over-par in the final round for a three-day total of 225 and a tie for 65th.
The Wildcats are enjoying a successful fall season as they have finished in the top-five of the last three regular-season tournaments The streak dates back to the UK Bluegrass Invitational held last April 13-14. 2008.
“I am reasonably proud of our start to the fall season,” Craig said. “We need one more guy to step up and follow the example set by our seniors and we will be a very good team.”
Next up the Wildcats will travel to California for The Prestige at PGA West Oct. 13-14.
