by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Kansas City Kansas Community College continued its outstanding start to the 2016 fall golf season, finishing in a first-place tie with perennial Jayhawk Conference power Barton County in a Coffeyville Community College invitational Monday and Tuesday.
In addition to the first place tie, a second KCKCC team finished fifth in the 9-team tournament played at Adams Municipal Golf Course in Bartlesville, Okla.
“It was the hottest I’ve ever been on a golf course,” said KCKCC coach Gary Shrader. “We really played well the first day and led by six strokes but dropped nine strokes off our first round score the second day.”
The Blue Devils finished with rounds of 298 and 309 for a 607 total that was matched by Barton (304-303). Seminole State was third at 610 followed by Coffeyville A, 622; KCKCC B, 496; Allen County, 641; Coffeyville B, 645; Hesston, 652; and Barton County B, 662.
Were the tournament decided by the low four scores, the well-balanced Blue Devils would have won the tournament by five shots as KCKCC six players finished in the top 17 in medalist play.
Firing the tournament’s best round, a 3-under 69 on the final round, sophomore Jeremy Dunham led the Blue Devils with a fourth place finish (77-69-146). Freshman Micah Morris tied for eighth (72-79-151) with sophomores Marc McClain (77-78-155) and Evan Shartzer (74-81-155) tying for 12th. Freshman Bobby Armstrong (75-81-156) was another stroke back in a tie for 14th while sophomore Matt Thayne (79-78-157) tied for 16th.
In addition, freshmen Zack Miller (80-80-160) tied for 21st and Nick Wagner (81-80-161) shared 27th, soph Jack Barnhart (88-80-168) placed 31st and freshman Cody Foster (91-88-179) 53rd.
Barton County’s Thitipong Homruen took medalist honors with a one-under par 143, one shot in front of teammate Jakkapat Horsangchai.
The Blue Devils and Barton will meet again Monday when KCKCC hosts a 36-hole invitational tournament to be played at Rolling Meadows in Grand Junction.