Oct. 1, 2010
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky men’s golf team is set to co-host its second tournament of the season when it travels to Old Memorial Golf Club in Tampa, Fla., for the Gary Koch Intercollegiate, starting Saturday. The two-day, 54-hole event will have 36 holes of play Saturday followed by 18 holes Sunday.
“We are excited about co-hosting the Gary Koch Intercollegiate,” head coach Brian Craig said. “The event has a great field this year and Old Memorial is a gorgeous course. We are ready to get down there and see what our guys can do.”
Kentucky will take a young lineup to the tournament, consisting of senior Brian Belden, sophomores Chase Parker, Seth Blann and Joseph Barr, and redshirt freshman Cody Martin. Junior Chase Carpenter will also make the trip, playing as an individual.
Parker and Belden will fill the top of the rotation for Kentucky, with both players having played in the event last season. Belden, a native of Emmaus, Pa., finished in the top-15 at the tournament last year, scoring a 4-under-par 212, while Parker was tied for 43rd at 219.
Blann, Barr and Martin will be playing in the Gary Koch Intercollegiate for the first time in their collegiate careers. However, all three played in UK’s first tournament of the year at the Wolf Run Intercollegiate.
Kentucky will tee off from the 10th hole in both rounds Saturday at 7:40 a.m. ET and 12:45 p.m. ET, respectively. The third round will start at 7:50 a.m. ET on Sunday. Old Memorial golf club will play at par 72 with a yardage of 7,400.
UK will be joined at the tournament by 11 other schools, including co-host No. 20 Auburn, No. 47 Coastal Carolina, College of Charleston, No. 41 Florida State, Georgia Southern, Middle Tennessee State, North Carolina, UNC-Greensboro, No. 50 North Florida, South Florida and Virginia.
Kentucky has a rich tradition at the Gary Koch Intercollegiate, having played in the tournament six times with five top-five finishes. The Wildcats won the team title in 2004 and backed that performance up the next year with a second-place finish. The Wildcats have had one individual champion at the tournament, when Matt Kohn posted a 54-hole score of 9-under-par 207 in 2005.
