Oct. 3, 2009
Team Standings | Individual Standings
TAMPA, Fla. —
Posting back-to-back 69s in the first and second rounds of the Gary Koch Intercollegiate, Kentucky junior Brian Belden (69-69-138) sits in a tie for seventh with an exciting score of 6-under-par, after day one of competition at Old Memorial Golf Club Saturday.
Belden, a native of Emmaus, Pa., put together a very impressive day for the Wildcats and sits only five strokes off the lead. The junior’s score of 3-under-par 69 in the first and second round, ties a career-low score. Belden set his career-low score last year at the Mason Rudolph Intercollegiate where he finished in a tie for 31st. Belden is on track to shatter his score of 219 posted during the 2007-08 season, which currently is the lowest 54-hole score of his UK career.
Belden, who started the first round on the back nine, took advantage of the par-5 holes all day, finishing in a tie for first with a remarkable 5-under-par on eight par-5 holes played in the first and second rounds. Belden also posted an eagle in the second round on the par-5 16th hole.
As a team, Kentucky sits in 12th place with an overall score of 573. Senior Ben Fuqua followed a rough start in the first round with one of the lowest second round scores of the day with a 4-under-par 68. The Danville, Ky., native, is in a tie for 34th. Fuqua is followed by freshman Chase Parker who is tied for 52nd and junior James Kania who is tied for 66th. Seniors Jordan Blann and Derek Oldham sit in a tie for 73rd. Oldham is playing as an individual.
Florida State’s Seath Lauer finished day one of competition in first place at 11-under-par, while LSU’s John Peterson is in second and Auburn’s Kyle Kopsick is in third with scores of 10-under-par and 9-under-par respectfully.
No. 17 Texas Tech took control of the tournament early and sits on top of the leaderboard with a 550. No. 9 Florida State is four strokes behind in second place and No. 8 Florida is in third place with a 560 total score.
The Gary Koch Intercollegiate will wrap up with the final 18 holes on Sunday. Tee times start at 8 a.m. with the awards ceremony at 3 p.m.
