LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky men’s golf team has added two standout golfers during the fall signing period, head coach Brian Craig announced Thursday. Wesley Beard of Louisville, Kentucky, and Michael Hake, from Brentwood, Tennessee, will join the Wildcats for 2023.
Both student-athletes have proven to showcase themselves well not only on the course, but in the classroom as well.
Wesley Beard
Louisville, Ky.
St. Xavier High School
Notables: Three-year varsity golfer at St. Xavier … 2022 Marty Donlon Award winner … 2021 Region 6 First Team … Carded a top 5 finish in 2021 AJGA Stewart Cink Championship at Vestavia Country Club in Birmingham, Alabama … Recorded four Top 25 AJGA finishes … Owns a 3.6 grade-point average … Earned four honor roll awards.
Why Kentucky: “I couldn’t be more excited to have the chance to play golf and study at the University of Kentucky. I am extremely honored to follow in the footsteps of many successful alumni who have come before me. I want to thank Coach Craig for giving me this opportunity and I look forward to working to improve my game under his leadership. I can’t wait to get on campus and become a Wildcat. Go Cats!”
Coach Craig: “Wes is a proven junior player with excellent fundamentals. I firmly believe his best golf is in front of him. His passion and work ethic are exceptional and will propel him to achieving his goals in this great game. I have also known Wes for quite a while being a Kentucky boy and I absolutely love him as a person. He will be a natural leader on our team and is exactly the type of young man I want in our program wearing the Blue and White.”
Michael Hake
Brentwood, Tenn.
Ravenwood High School
Notables: Ranked inside the top 300 internationally, 150th in the class of 2023 and sixth in the state of Tennessee on Junior Golf Scoreboard … Qualified for the 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur at Bandon Dunes … Four 2022 Sneds Tour victories … U.S. Junior Qualifier winner with a 66 at Old Fort … Finished sixth in the TSSAA State Tournament and third in the Tennessee Junior Amateur … Finished in the top 15 in the Tennessee Amateur … Sneds Player of the Year posted his low round of the year, a 62, at Old Fort … Participated in three state championships … holds a 4.56 grade-point average and has been on the honor roll all four years … John Mayer Builders Scholarship Award winner.
Why Kentucky: “I am grateful for the opportunity to join Big Blue Nation. I look forward to being part of a great team and working hard to better my game.”
Coach Craig: “What an extraordinary trajectory of improvement Michael Hake has been on over this past year. He has blossomed into a fabulous player who has proven he is capable of shooting low scores in competition. He has also been working hard in the weight room and it is showing with the increase in his ball speed. Michael is also a terrific student with high character and is very mature. I absolutely love having him join the Big Blue Nation and I cannot wait to coach him starting next fall.”
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