Wood Cards Season-Low Score; Wildcats Tied for Fifth
OPELIKA, Ala. – Junior Garrett Wood carded a season-low round of 69 to pace the Kentucky men’s golf team during the opening round of the Tiger Invitational on Sunday. Wood’s 3-under score has him tied for third overall on the individual leaderboard, while the Cats conclude the opening 18 holes in a tie for fifth behind a 3-over par score.
“We had a solid round going today, but could not quite bring it home,” UK head coach Brian Craig said. “Super proud of Garrett Wood. He is starting to gain confidence and play like we need. It is always good to see a player start to enjoy the fruits of his hard work. We could use a good one tomorrow.”
The host Auburn Tigers lead after the opening day at 9-under par. Louisiana-Monroe is one shot off the Tigers’ pace, while Auburn’s second team of five rounds out the top three at 4-under par. Louisiana Tech is four shots ahead of the Cats’ pace. Western Kentucky at 3-over is tied with Kentucky for fifth. The teams will play 18 holes on Monday before finishing with a final round on Tuesday.
Live stats for the week will be available via golfstat.com.
Wood got off to a fast start with a birdie on the opening hole of the day. He had three total birdies on the front nine to combat a pair of bogeys to make the turn at 1-under par. Wood birdied the par-five 12th and the par-five 14th. A bogey at 17th was offset with his sixth birdie of the round at the par-four 18th to finish the day with his first sub-70 score of the season and the seventh of his career. He is tied for third overall and is a mere shot off the leaders.
Senior Allen Hamilton, redshirt freshman Alex Goff and sophomore Zach Norris all capped the day with rounds of 74 and are tied for 36th. Hamilton played the back nine at 1-under par to gain some momentum heading into round two. Goff got off to a good start and was 2-under par through the opening nine holes. Norris was also under par through the opening nine.
Junior Jacob Cook rounded out the starting lineup with a round of 76. He played at even par over the final seven holes and is tied for 54th. All five starters birdied the par-five 12th to highlight the day.
Senior Matt Liston, playing this week as an individual, matched Hamilton, Goff and Norris with a 74 and is tied for 36th. Liston was even par over the final 12 holes with a birdie at the 10th to negate a bogey at 12.
Built on 600-acre Lake Saugahatchee, 32 of the 54 holes drape along its filigreed shores. Both the Links course and the Lake course were in the top 10 of Golf Digest’s list of “America’s Top 50 Affordable Courses” and all three courses at the Grand National are listed among the nation’s 40 Super Value courses by Golf Digest’s “Places to Play.” With 12 holes hugging the shore of Lake Saugahatchee, the Lake course is one of the most scenic courses you can find. The quartet of par threes is as good as any in the nation.
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