April 15, 2010

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Coming off a fifth-place finish at the University of Kentucky Bluegrass Invitational last weekend, where junior Brian Belden finished tied for third and senior Jordan Blann posted a top-20 finish, the UK men’s golf team hopes to swing momentum into the Southeastern Conference Championships starting Friday at St. Simons Island, Ga.

The three-day tournament will run Friday-Sunday with 18 holes played each day at the gorgeous Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club (Ga.).

The course, designed by famed course designer Thomas Fazio, opened in 2005 and will play at par-70 at 7,055 yards. The SEC Golf Tournament has been played at Sea Island since 2001, with Georgia winning four of the nine championships. Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Kentucky and Tennessee have each won one conference tournament title during that time.

Belden and Blann paced the Wildcats last weekend with both players finishing in the top 20. Belden used an impressive 4-under-par 67 in the opening round followed by a 2-under-par 69 in the second round. For the tournament, Belden finished at 4-under-par. Blann ended in a tie for 17th at the tournament, with 5-under-par 66 in the second round for the lowest round of the tournament.

The Georgia Bulldogs won last year’s tournament, with a 13-shot win over second-place Arkansas. The individual title was won by Florida’s Billy Horschel by two strokes at 10-over-par.

Last season at the SEC Championships, Kentucky finished seventh at 12-over-par, placing two players in the top 12. Blann led UK, scoring an eighth-place finish with a 3-under-par score.

Blann, along with senior Ben Fuqua, Belden, sophomore Mads Kristensen and freshman Chase Parker will make up the UK rotation. Fuqua and Kristensen participated in the SEC Championships last season with Fuqua tying for 31st and Kristensen ending the tournament in a tie for 56th.

Live stats for all three rounds will be available on ukathletics.com.