by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Kansas City Kansas Community College took a couple of steps back in the 2018 NJCAA Division II national golf tournament Tuesday.
In a tie for 11th after one round, the Blue Devils fell back into a 13th place tie with Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the 72-hole tourney being played at Glen Lakes Golf Club in Foley, Alabama.
The Blue Devils’ three sophomores, Micah Morris, Bobby Armstrong and Trevor Bauer, each turned in 5-over par 77’s Tuesday while freshmen Evin Wheaton and Zack Miller had 84’s. That left Morris tied for 20th at 148 and Armstrong deadlocked for 37th at 151. Bauer, who posted an 85, moved up to a tie for 90th at 162 but Wheaton fell back to 80th at 159 and Miller was 113th at 169.
The last team off on Monday, the Blue Devils were first off Tuesday and were called off the course twice by rain and a lengthy lightning delay.
“It was pretty wet and the course played a lot tougher but that wasn’t our problem,” KCKCC coach Gary Shrader said.
Water hazards were the problem for the Blue Devils’ two freshmen. Wheaton hit two balls in the water and Miller twice hit balls out of a bunker into the water on an island green and took an 11 on the par 5 hole.
“Actually, we played pretty well except for a couple of holes,” Shrader said.
Meridian (Miss.) Community College charged to a 9-shot lead in the team event. Firing a tourney best 295, Meridian’s 579 is just three shots over par.
Tournament host Mississippi Gulf Coast and Parkland are tied for second at 588 with first round Tyler Community College falling into a tie for fourth at 589. After an opening round 305, KCKCC had a 315 total Tuesday.