Story by Sarah Combs, Assistant Sports Editor and Mark McFarland, Sports Editor
Duncan McCormick, senior from Morganfield, Kentucky, shot a 1-under-par on the first day of the OVC Tournament.
Men’s golf finished tied for fifth with Belmont in the OVC Tournament but came away with multiple All-OVC Honors.
Murray State had not won an OVC title since 2010, but the team was feeling confident as it was coming off a second place finish the week before.
ALL-OVC
The Racers earned multiple awards at the annual awards dinner that was held after the first round of the conference championship in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Three seniors were honored on the All-OVC Team and one was recognized on the All-OVC Newcomer Team.
Preston French, senior from Lexington, Kentucky, Jared Gosser, senior from Russell Springs, Kentucky, and Brock Simmons, senior from Murray, were awarded the All-OVC Honor followed by Gabe Wheeler, freshman from Sikeston, Missouri, who snagged a place on the All-OVC Newcomer Team.
Jared Gosser, senior from Russell Springs Kentucky, finished 27th in the OVC Tournament.
OVC PLAY
Following the first round, Murray State sat in third place with a score of 297. The Racers were led by UT Martin with 293 and Jacksonville State with 290.
During the second day of the tournament the Racers shared the lead .
French finished the day with a 1-over-par, score 73 on the day and had Murray State sitting in position to make a run.
Duncan McCormick, senior from Morganfield, Kentucky, finished the day 3-over-par on the second day after carding a 1-under-par the day before.
The final round of the tournament started with the Racers tied for fourth place just five strokes behind first place UT Martin.
Murray State was in the second to last group on the day behind UT Martin and the two second place teams Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State.
French finished the third round with a 3-over-par, score 75. His final round brought him to a total tournament score of 221 which helped him tie for ninth place.
McCormick’s final round of 75 gave him a share of 17th place with a final score of 223. He is the second Racer to finish in the top 20.
Just behind McCormick and French, Simmons finished tied for 19th place after carding 73 in the second and third rounds.
The Racers finished the third round with a score of 296 and a final score of 884 placing them tied for fifth place with Belmont for the tournament.
Murray State fell behind UT Martin shooting a 879, Morehead State shooting a 880, Jacksonville State with a 881 and Eastern with a 883.
Hunter Richardson, sophomore from UT Martin won the individual championship with a final score of 211.