Oct. 4, 2009
Final Team Standings | Final Individual Standings | Season Stats
TAMPA, Fla. – For the second consecutive tournament, Kentucky junior Brian Belden led the Wildcats by finishing in the top 20 after posting a 54-hole total of 212 and finishing in a tie for 14th at the Gary Koch Intercollegiate Sunday.
Belden shot a 2-over-par 74 in the final round to card the top-20 finish. The junior’s 54-hole total of 212 is the lowest 54-hole score for Belden as a Wildcat. His previous low score was a 218. Belden tied a career-low score by posting 3-under-par 69s in the first and second rounds. The junior played exceptional golf on the par-5 holes the entire tournament, finishing with the lowest score on par-5s for the tournament with an 8-under-par total.
The native of Emmaus, Pa., Belden came into the tournament as Kentucky’s top qualifier and has played solid golf for the Wildcats in both their tournaments so far this season. In mid-September, Belden finished the Wolf Run Intercollegiate in a tie for 19th. Belden’s best finish as a Wildcat came during the 2007-08 season when he finished tied for first in the UK Bluegrass Invitational.
Following Belden was senior Ben Fuqua who shot a 4-over-par 76 for the final round to finish in a tie for 43rd along with freshman Chase Parker who posted a 1-over-par 73 on the final 18 holes. Junior James Kania finished the tournament in a tie for 59th while senior Jordan Blann finished in 77th. Senior Derek Oldham, playing as an individual, finished the tournament tied for 72nd. Overall, Kentucky finished in 11th place, moving up one spot in the final round.
No. 9 Florida State won the tournament after posting an 834, the best 54-hole score in tournament history. No. 17 Texas Tech finished in second with No. 25 Virginia and No. 8 Florida finishing tied for third.
The individual title was won by Auburn’s Kyle Kopsick who posted an impressive 201 total score, the lowest individual score in tournament history. Florida State’s Seath Lauer finished second with a 203 and Louisiana State’s John Peterson finished third with a 204.
Kentucky will now take a week off before starting the Firestone Invitational on October 12 in Akron, Ohio.
