Story by Keith Jaco
Staff writer
Murray State men’s golf picked up its first top-five finish since the Skyhawk Classic on Tuesday, April 9, finishing in a tie for second in the Big Blue Intercollegiate at Hermitage Golf Course in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Racers continued their solid play in the Big Blue Intercollegiate, securing their third consecutive top-five finish in the event.
Looking ahead, Head Coach Eddie Hunt believes he has the right lineup set for the OVC Championship.
“I was extremely pleased,” Hunt said. “I think we finally have the right lineup going into the OVC. We really played exceptionally well today with a nine-under-par final round which is four or five shots better than any other round of the tournament.”
Tennessee Tech won first place team honors, finishing the event eight-under-par on scores of 283-280-281?844. Tech freshman Bryce Beeler took home first place for individuals on scores of 68-69-71?208.
Junior Avery Edwards, from Paducah, Kentucky, was the Racers’ top finisher, placing in second place on three round totals of 74-69-66?209. This was Edwards’ best finish of the spring season and highest finish since the Rex Chaney Individual Classic on Saturday, October 6.
Junior Austin Knight, from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and senior Gabe Wheeler, from Sikeston, Missouri, each finished the tournament in a tie for ninth place. Knight scored three round totals of 73-71-69?213 while Wheeler finished with scores of 70-74-69?213.
Freshman Dalton Bagwell, from Paducah, Kentucky, finished in a three-way tie for 16th-place on scores of 73-71-70?214.
Hunt says his team will continue to work on their putting and greens approach heading into next week’s tournament.
“We can always work on our putting,” Hunt said. “We’ll work on our chipping and getting closer to the pin, giving ourselves more birdie opportunities; I think that’s the key for our team to have success.”
Murray State will participate in the OVC Championship on Sunday, April 21, in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, at Fighting Joe Golf Course.