Feb. 20, 2010

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Ready for its second tournament of the 2010 spring season, the University of Kentucky men’s golf team travels south to play in the 54 hole Mobile Bay Intercollegiate at the Magnolia Grove Crossings Golf Course in Mobile, Ala., beginning on Sunday.

The tournament will begin on Sunday Feb. 21 and last until Wednesday Feb. 23 with 18 holes of golf being played each day. Start times for each round will begin at 8:30 a.m. ET with players beginning on the first and 10th holes. The Magnolia Grove Crossings Golf Course plays at par-72 with a yardage of 7,212.

“We need to start a new season this week at the Mobile Bay Intercollegiate,” head coach Brian Craig said. “The guys are looking forward to the challenge, as am I. It is time for the Cats to start playing like we are capable.”

UK will send a rotation that consists of two seniors, one junior, one sophomore and one freshman to the tournament. Senior Ben Fuqua and junior Brian Belden headline the Kentucky rotation with freshman Chase Parker, senior Jordan Blann and sophomore Mads Kristensen rounding out the rotation. Sophomore Chase Carpenter will play as an individual in the tournament.

Kentucky is coming off a 13th-place finish at the Jacksonville University Invitational earlier in February. Fuqua led all Wildcats finishing tied for 32nd and shooting a UK tournament-low score of 75 on the final round. Parker finished 34th at the tournament while Belden finished tied for 42nd. Blann and junior James Kania rounded out the UK rotation finishing tied for 58th and 73rd respectfully.

The Wildcats will face a tough field that includes in-state rival Louisville and Southeastern Conference rivals Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt at the tournament. The 18-team field also includes Akron, Arkansas State, Belmont, Illinois State, Iowa State, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Memphis, No. 26 Middle Tennessee, South Alabama, South Florida, Southern Mississippi and Toledo.

Last year, the tournament was won by Mississippi State at 24-over-par with South Alabama finishing second at 33-over-par. The individual title was won by Joe Emerich of Illinois State at 1-under-par.

Live hole-by-hole scoring will be available on ukathletics.com.