Oct. 24, 2010
LEXINGTON, Ky. – University of Kentucky men’s golf senior Brian Belden shot a 1-under-par 71 in the final round, totaling a 54-hole score of 1-under-par 215 to gather his third straight top-20 finish at the UNCG Bridgestone Golf Collegiate at Forest Oaks Country Club on Sunday.
The native of Emmaus, Pa., played brilliant golf Sunday, scoring three birdies and two bogeys to card the low score. The senior ended the tournament with 10 birdies and 36 pars, ranking him high on the leaderboard. The top-20 finish is the third straight top-20 finish of the year for Belden, who ended the Gary Koch Intercollegiate in 15th and the Philadelphia Big 5 Invitational tied for ninth. Belden’s 3-under-par 69 in the second round was one of the lowest rounds of the tournament and the lowest UK score at the event.
Belden was followed on the leaderboard by sophomores Joseph Barr and Chase Parker. Barr ended the tournament at even-par 216 and in a tie for 26th. The native of Versailles, Ky., shot an even-par 72 in the final round to score the top-30 finish. Barr scored a 2-over-par 74 in the opening round, followed by a 2-under-par 70 in the second round. The sophomore finished the tournament tied for third in pars with 39.
Parker had an impressive opening round of 2-under-par 70 before scoring a 2-over-par 74 in the second round and then a 4-over-par 76 in the third round to finish tied for 45th. The native of Augusta, Ga., ended the tournament with a 4-over-par 220.
Sophomore Seth Blann and junior Mads Kristensen wrap up the UK rotation. Blann finishes the tournament tied for 71st with a 12-over-par 228, while Kristensen was tied for 73rd at 13-over-par 229.
As a team, the Wildcats finished in 12th with a 54-hole score of 13-over-par 877. North Carolina won the tournament by breaking the 54-hole tournament record with a score of 31-under-par 833. Auburn finished second at 24-under-par 840, followed by Virginia Tech in third at 22-under-par. Blayne Barber of Auburn and David Lipsky of Northwestern tied for the individual title at 14-under-par 202.
Kentucky will return to action on Nov. 1-2, playing in the Hummingbird Intercollegiate at the Country Club of Sapphire Valley in Sapphire, N.C. Last year, Kentucky finished tied for second at the Hummingbird Intercollegiate.
