April 11, 2014
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky men’s golf team will put the finishing touches on the regular season by hosting the Bluegrass Invitational at the University Club this weekend. The two-day, 54-hole tournament will begin Saturday, April 12 and wrap up Sunday, April 13.
Last Time Out:
Senior Ben Stow recorded his first collegiate win two weeks ago at the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate. Stow won a playoff on the 18th hole to outlast Auburn’s Niclas Carlsson for the individual title. The Salisbury, England, native posted a 7-under par, 209, for the tournament. Fellow senior Stephen Powers also claimed a top 10 finish by placing sixth with a 5-under par, 211. Both Powers and Stow registered the low Wildcat round on the final day with a 5-under par, 67. As a team, UK just missed a top five finish by placing sixth with a team score of 2-over par, 866.
Powers leads the team with a season scoring average of 72.42. Stow ranks second on the team with a 72.67 scoring average and junior David Snyder following close behind at 73.54. Stow and Powers are tied for the team-lead with four top 10 finishes.
About the Bluegrass Invitational:
This marks the sixth time Kentucky will host the Bluegrass Invitational and first since September 2011. The Wildcats have won the event twice, including the most recent tournament in 2011. Senior Cody Martin finished second in 2011 with a 1-over par, 214, while senior Matthew Anderson tied for third at 3-over par, 216.
Thirty-six holes will be played Saturday with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. ET. The final 18 holes will be played on Sunday with fixed tee times starting on holes No. 1 and No. 10 at 8 a.m. The course will feature a par-72, 6,992-yard setup. There will be no live scoring of the event.
The Field:
Joining the Wildcats in Lexington is Auburn, Bradley, Cincinnati, Dayton, Eastern Kentucky, Lipscomb, Morehead State, Northern Kentucky, SIU-Edwardsville, Tennessee Tech, Valparaiso and Wright State.
Coach Craig Quotables:
“This is our home event and we need to defend our turf,” said UK head coach Brian Craig. “It has been a while since we hosted in Lexington and the team is excited. Saturday’s 36-hole day will be particularly interesting with all five of our starting lineup playing in the same group. It is a great format for family and fans to watch and can produce big swings of momentum.”
Up Next:
Following the Bluegrass Invitational, UK will compete in the SEC Championships in St. Simons Island, Ga., from April 25-27. For more information on the University of Kentucky men’s golf team please visit UKathletics.com and follow on Twitter @UKmensgolf.
University Club (Big Blue Course)
Lexington, Ky. – April 12-13
Par: 72 (36-36)
Yardage: 6,992 (3,385-3,607)
UK Lineup:
1. Ben Stow
2. Stephen Powers
3. Cody Martin
4. David Snyder
5. Will Bishop
* Harrison Greenberry
* Stephen Stallings
* Todd McDaniel
* Hager Collins
* Playing as individuals
