by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
The weather did no favors to Kansas City Kansas Community College in the Graceland Spring Invitational Golf Tournament Friday and Saturday.
Third after the first round, the Blue Devils slid to seventh in the 12-team invitational played at Mozingo Lake Golf Course in Maryville, Mo.
“Cold and wet and we didn’t respond as well as some of the other teams,” said KCKCC coach Gary Shrader, whose Blue Devils immediately turned their focus to the first Jayhawk Conference designated tournament starting Sunday at Colbert Hills in Manhattan.
Trailing by four shots after the opening round, Park University took top honors with a 607 total followed by Culver-Stockton, 614; Southeast Community College, 626; Southwestern Community College, 630; Baker, 635; North Central Missouri, 642; and KCKCC, 643. Waldorf, Graceland, North Iowa Area CC, Baker No. 2 and Waldorf No. 2 trailed the Blue Devils.
A standout second round by freshman Zach Miller wasn’t enough for KCKCC, which turned in a 325 round Saturday after a 320 on Friday.
Out in 83 Friday, Miller fired a 4-over 76 Saturday, third best score for the final round. The big finish enabled Miller to tie for 15th at 159.
Sophomores Micah Morris (77-79-156) tied for 11th with Bobby Armstrong (77-85-159) deadlocking for 23rd after being tied for seventh after the opening round. Trevor Bauer (83-83-168) tied for 42nd and Even Wheaton (81-91-172) shared 47th to round out the KCKCC scoring.
Culver-Stockton’s Jon Robertson (70-76-146) took medalist honors ahead of Park’s Ryan Tattan (74-74-148).