March 21, 2009
STATESBORO, Ga. – Behind senior Ben Fuqua’s first career hole-in-one and sophomore James Kania’s 69, Kentucky men’s golf team jumped from 14th place to fifth place during Saturday’s second round of the 29th annual Schenkel E-Z-Go Invitational. Kentucky’s second-round score of 287 is the lowest ever for Kentucky through four appearances in the Schenkel E-Z-Go Invitational.
Kentucky got a jumpstart from Fuqua’s shot on the long 158-yard, par-three 15th hole Saturday morning when the senior co-captain dropped his first shot in the hole. Upon Coach Craig’s advice, Fuqua pulled his six-iron out of his bag and blasted a blind shot at the flag against a strong head wind. The ball took one hop before the Danville, Ky. Native heard his dad and Craig start clapping to celebrate the amazing shot. Through two rounds, Fuqua is four-over par and tied for 40th place heading into Sunday’s final round.
Fellow senior co-captain Andy Winings continues his steady play this season and leads the Wildcats in scoring at their fourth appearance in the Schenkel E-Z-Go Invitational. Winings is tied for fifth with a two-round total of two-under par after firing his second consecutive 71.
Haverford, Penn., native, sophomore James Kania tied his career mark after notching four birdies and a slew of pars en route to a second-round, three-under-par 69. Kania’s also shot a 69 during his freshman year in the final round of the Pat Hicks Invitational in February of 2008. Kania is tied for eighth place against an 18-team field that includes 15 of the top-50 collegiate players in the nation.
Junior Jordan Blann and freshman Mads Kristensen rounded out the scoring for Kentucky after they both improved on their first-round scores. Blann is seven-over par and is tied for the 63rd spot after improving on his first-round mark by three strokes with a 74 during Saturday’s second round. Kristensen, fresh off his first career top-10 finish last week, is tied for 81st after shooting a three-over-par 75 in the second round.
The Southeastern Conference represents the top-three spots of the tournament with South Carolina leading the pack followed by Florida and Tennessee. North Carolina State controls the fourth place while Kentucky is tied with tournament host Georgia Southern for fifth place.
Fuqua’s hole-in-one is the second one of the season for the Wildcats. Earlier this season, Winings shot his second career hole-in-one at the Jacksonville Invitational in February.
T5 Kentucky, U. of +8 F 297 287 584 T5 Andy Winings -2 F 71 71 142 T8 James Kania -1 F 74 69 143 T40 Ben Fuqua +4 F 75 73 148 T63 Jordan Blann +7 F 77 74 151 T81 Mads Kristensen +10 F 79 75 154
