Kentucky Takes Seventh at Watersound Invitational
PANAMA CITY, Fla. – Jacob Settles and Jack Schoenberger each earned top 15 finishes and Kentucky men’s golf took seventh as a team as play concluded at the Watersound Invitational on Wednesday.
The Wildcats were 2-over par collectively on the final day at Watersound Club’s Third Course (par 70, 7209 yards), putting them at 5-under for the 54-hole tournament, UK’s first event this spring. The team’s stroke total of 835 for the week is the fourth lowest in a 54-hole event for Kentucky dating back to the 2001-02 season.
Notably, the Cats finished ahead of a pair of Southeastern Conference foes in No. 11 Alabama and Mississippi State. Arkansas took home the title at 19-under par total, topping the 12-team field which featured four schools ranked inside the top-11 in the country.
The team found itself as high as third place on the leaderboard during the final round but dropped some shots down the stretch to ultimately finish seventh.
“There is so much to be proud of this week,” head coach Gator Todd said. “It is the first time we’ve been in contention in a big-time event since I’ve been here. To be in that situation and feel the pressure coming down the stretch is something you cannot replicate until you do it. You have to walk before you can run and we’ll be better prepared for next time we’re in that situation.”
It was a particularly strong week for Kentucky sophomore Jacob Settles, who had his highest finish while playing in the Wildcats’ starting lineup, placing tied for seventh at 5-under par. Settles was 2-under in the final round while making five birdies, Kentucky’s best score of the day. The native of Winchester, Kentucky took advantage of the par 5s all week long, playing them in 7-under over the three rounds, tied for the best mark in the 78-player field. He had 14 birdies on the week to lead all Wildcats.
“It was a big time week for Settles,” Todd said. “He has outworked everybody in this program since stepping foot on campus. This week was a long time coming. I’m pumped for him and believe he’s just getting started.”
Senior captain Jack Schoenberger had his best finish of the season, coming in tied for 14th at 2-under par. Schoenberger was a counting score for the Wildcats in all three rounds this week.
“I thought this was some of the most consistent golf I’ve seen from Jack all year,” Todd said.
Cole Stockard, a winner earlier this season at the Cullan Brown Collegiate, ended his week with a 1-under par, 69, on Wednesday. It was the best score of the week for Stockard, who finished tied for 48th at 5-over par total. The Freshman led the field in pars with 42 for the tournament.
Jacob Lang joined Stockard in a tie for 48th after a final round of 73 (+3). UK’s individual competitor, freshman Cameron Phillips, put on a strong showing to tie for 29th at even par, while Luke Coyle rounded out the Kentucky competitors, placing tied for 56th at 7-over.
Kentucky will return to action for the Colleton River Collegiate, March 1-2 at Colleton River Golf Club in Bluffton, South Carolina.
Leaderboard:
T7: Jacob Settles (71-66-68)
T14: Jack Schoenberger (68-68-72)
T29: Cameron Phillips* (67-68-75)
T48: Jacob Lang (68-74-73)
T48: Cole Stockard (74-72-69)
T56: Luke Coyle (77-66-74)
Bold = Counting Score
*Individual
For the latest on UK Men’s Golf follow the Wildcats on X and Instagram @UKmensgolf, and online at ukathletics.com.
