Alex Goff Tallies Another Top-10, Kentucky Closes Schenkel Invitational
STATESBORO, Ga. – Alex Goff fired a final round 69 (-3) to post his sixth top-10 finish of the season as Kentucky men’s golf wrapped up the Schenkel Invitational at Forest Heights Country Club on Sunday.
UK concluded the event in 10th place as a team with a three-day score 859 (-5). Goff was tied for seventh as an individual at 7-under for the week, his lowest score relative to par this spring.
“We got off to a great start this week in tough conditions,” head coach Gator Todd said. “The first round we had five scores under par for the first time all year. The course softened with rain for the second round, and we didn’t adapt to scoreable conditions. Individually, Alex is continuing to play with a ton of consistency. Jansen was in the top five with nine holes to play and leading our team. He’s getting closer and will be more comfortable next time he’s in that position.”
After finishing under par as a team on both days one and two Kentucky ended the weekend with a 4-over team score of 292 on Sunday, dropping the Cats into 10th place on the leaderboard. Goff’s 3-under score was joined by 2-over rounds of 74 from both Jansen Preston and Oakley Gee, and a 3-over performance of 75 from Campbell Kremer.
Goff added five birdies on Sunday, including three on the back nine, to climb back inside the top-10 after beginning the day tied for 16th. He was one of nine players in the field with an under-par scoring average for the week on par 4s, coming in at 3.97. Goff and Preston each made 14 birdies in the tournament, tied for the most on the team and the ninth most in the 84-player field.
Despite a disappointing closing nine, Preston was able to end the week at 2-under par overall, his first event finishing in red figures as a Wildcat and just the second of his collegiate career. Entering Sunday at 4-under par, Preston had it to 7-under for the tournament after making birdies on five of his last six holes on the outward nine. A back-nine 41 would bring the Lexington native back to 2-under for the tournament and place him T-30th overall.
Redshirt freshman Gee collected four birdies in his final round, going even-par on his closing nine to shoot 74. Gee finished the weekend 2-over overall and in a tie for 48th. He has been a counting score for Kentucky in 10 of 11 rounds this season.
Kremer was also a counting score on Sunday, shooting a 3-over score of 75 to finish the week T-67th at 8-over overall. Kevin Watts completed the tournament with a final round 82 to place T-78th at 14-over par.
Individual Jackson Lalonde tied for 62nd in his first event of the spring, shooting a final round of 75 which included birdies on No. 9 (par 5, 526 yards) and No. 18 (par 5, 600 yards).
The defending NCAA Champion Florida Gators won the tournament at 27-under par as a team, while the individual trophy went to Nathan Franks of South Carolina at 13-under.
The Wildcats return to competition for the Hootie at Bulls Bay Intercollegiate, March 24-26 at Bulls Bay Golf Club in Awendaw, S.C.
Kentucky Results:
T7: Alex Goff (68-72-69) – 209
T30: Jansen Preston (71-69–74) – 214
T48: Oakley Gee (71-73-74) – 218
T62: Jackson Lalonde (71-75-75) – 221*
T67: Campbell Kremer (77-72-75) – 224
T78: Kevin Watts (71-77-82) – 230
*Individual
Bold = Counting score
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