Feb. 23, 2009

ORLANDO, Fla. – Battling a first-class, 21-team field in the Rio Pinar Invitational, Kentucky men’s golf is in 12th place after the first 36 holes with a team 296 and 297 on the 6,978 yard, par-72 Rio Pinar Country Club course.

Senior co-captains Ben Fuqua, ranked as the 45th best player in the country, and Andy Winings, ranked as the 91st best player in the country, lead UK in scoring after the first day. Winings is tied for 11th place after shooting a 70 and 74 for even par. Tied for the 41st spot, Fuqua is six-over par after shaving six strokes off his opening round 77.

Making his fifth straight start, freshman sensation Mads Kristensen fired the fifth-best score of his freshman campaign with a 75 in the opening round. Kristensen followed up with a 79 in the second round to sit in a tie for the 64th spot heading into Tuesday’s final 18 holes.

Rounding out the scoring for Kentucky is sophomore James Kania Jr. in his second start of the spring season with a 76-76 for a tie in the 67th spot while junior Jordan Blann is tied for 84th after carding a 75-79.

Blann’s first round 75 is the second best round the emerging junior has turned in during the 2008-09 season.

The Wildcats continue to steadily improve as a team. Kentucky’s first round team scoring average was .25 strokes better than their season average and the Wildcats improved on their second round team scoring average by a full stroke today.

Tournament host University of Central Florida leads the tournament with a cumulative score of 571 after UCF’s Blayne Barber shot a nine-under par through the first two rounds.