April 7, 2012
Gary Koch Invitational Day One Results
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky men’s golf team competed Saturday in the opening two rounds of the Gary Koch Invitational at Old Memorial Golf Club (par 72, 7,389 yards) in Tampa, Fla., its final tournament of the regular season. The Wildcats, battled throughout, but will enter Sunday’s final round in 15th.
As a team, the Wildcats, who are co-hosting the tournament along with Auburn, are 34-over-par but sit just six strokes back of 12th. Kentucky has finished in the top-10 in every event but one this year.
Junior Joseph Barr leads UK at 5-over-par after carding a 5-over-par 77 in the opening 18 holes before firing an even-par 72 in the second round.
Sophomore Cody Martin, the Wildcats’ scoring leader entering Saturday’s play, is tied for 52nd after back-to-back rounds of 4-over-par, 76.
Freshman David Snyder, who finished in a tie for second last week at the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate, shot an 80 in the first round before rebounding with a 2-over-par 74 in the second round.
Junior Chase Parker (+11) and sophomore Stephen Powers (+14) are tied for 64th and 70th, respectively.
Junior Seth Blann, playing as an individual this week, is 22-over-par.
Competing in the star-studded 15-team field alongside Kentucky and No. 3 Auburn, is No. 2 Alabama, College of Charleston, No. 23 Florida, No. 24 Florida State, No. 10 Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern, No. 15 North Florida, Pacific, South Florida, Toledo, UNC-Greensboro, No. 22 Virginia and Wake Forest. All rankings are according to the latest Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings.
The tournament will conclude Sunday with Kentucky’s final round beginning at 8:55 a.m. ET, with each of the Wildcats teeing off from the 10th tee. Powers will begin the Wildcats’ final round at 8:55 a.m., followed by Parker, Snyder, Martin and Barr, respectively, in 10-minute intervals. Blann will begin his round at 7:55 a.m. from the 10th tee.
This is UK’s seventh appearance in the Gary Koch Invitational in the Brian Craig Era. Typically played during the fall season, the Gary Koch Invitational now serves as the final tune up before many teams’ respective conference tournaments. The Wildcats finished 11th at the Gary Koch last year, their second tournament of the year, with a final score of 894 (+30). Virginia won the event by nine strokes with a final score of 849 (-15). Parker finished tied for 31st with a 6-over-par, 222. Blann tied for 44th, while Barr tied for 57th and Martin finished 62nd. Nine teams from last year’s field are competing in this year’s tournament.
UK won the tournament in October 2004, and finished second one year later. Kentucky also finished in a tie for second in 2002.
Live results from the tournament can be accessed at Golfstat.com.
For more news and information on the Kentucky men’s golf team, including a recap and results from Sunday’s final round, follow the Wildcats on Twitter at “UKMensGolf” and go to UKathletics.com.
Gary Koch Invitational
Old Memorial Golf Club
Par 72 – 7,389 yards
Through Two Rounds
T39. Joseph Barr – 77, 72 – 149 (+5)
T52. Cody Martin – 76, 76 – 152 (+8)
T61. David Snyder – 80, 74 – 154 (+10)
T64. Chase Parker – 79, 76 – 155 (+11)
T70. Stephen Powers – 81, 77 – 158 (+14)
*76. Seth Blann – 86, 80 – 166 (+22)
15. KENTUCKY – 312, 298 – 610 (+34)
