K-State Finishes Fourth at FirstEnergy Intercollegiate
Apr 17, 2005 | Men's Golf
AKRON, Ohio In pursuit of a strong outing to conclude the regular season, the Kansas State men’s golf team carded a combined team score of 887 (303-289-295) and finished in fourth place at the FirstEnergy Intercollegiate. K-State finished two strokes behind third-place Penn State (885) and four strokes ahead of fifth-place Eastern Michigan (891). Toledo won the team title with a score of 283-293-292868 (+4). The fourth-place finish is K-State's sixth top-five finish of the season, which is tied for second most in school history. The FirstEnergy Intercollegiate was played at the par-72, 7,125-yard Firestone Country Club. Firestone Country Club is an annual host of the PGA’s World Golf Championships NEC Invitational. “I thought our guys played pretty well,” head coach Tim Norris said. “Hopefully this finish will give us a little confidence heading into the Big 12 Championships.”
Senior Matt Van Cleave led the way for the Wildcats for the seventh consecutive tournament, as he fired a 54-hole score of 1-over 217 (75-69-73) and and finished fifth. Van Cleave finished seven strokes out of first place and three strokes out of fourth. The Maryville, Mo., product garnered his eighth straight top-15 finish and fourth top-five finish of the spring and fifth of the season.
Senior Nick Schumacher picked up his fourth top-20 finish of the spring, as he carded a 79-70-74223 (+7) and tied for 12th.
Junior Jonathan James brushed off his second-round score of 78 and fired a final-round 74 to tie for 18th. James finished with a 54-hole score of 225 (73-78-74). It was James’ second top-20 finish of his career. His other top 20 came last fall at the Alister MacKenzie Invitational where he tied for 14th.
Also competing for the Wildcats were junior Ben Kern and freshman Kyle Yonke. Kern battled back with his best round of the tournament Sunday, as he fired a 2-over 74 and finished in a tie for 49th with a score of 233 (83-76-74). Yonke finished tied for 46th with a final score of 76-76-82232 (+16).
Toledo’s Justin Bertsch won a three-player playoff with a birdie on the fourth hole to win medalist honors over Ball State’s Wayne Denger and Toledo’s Tyler Riley. Bertsch finished with a score of 66-72-72210 (-6).
The Wildcats are now complete with the regular season and will begin postseason play April 29-May 1 at the Big 12 Championships in Trinity, Texas.
Men’s Collegiate Golf
FirstEnergy Intercollegiate
Akron, Ohio
Firestone Country Club
Par: 72; Yardage: 7,125
Team Scores: 1. Toledo, 283-293-292868; 2. Ball State 292-290-291873; 3. Penn State, 305-287-293885; 4. Kansas State, 303-289-295887; 5. Eastern Michigan, 301-289-301891; 6. Akron, 304-302-296902; 7. Wright State 296-303-306905; 8. Ohio, 317-290-303910; 9. Bowling Green State, 301-307-303911; 10. Georgetown, 307-301-306914; 11. St. Joseph’s, 320-300-302922; 12. Miami (Ohio), 321-307-303931; 13. Cleveland State, 317-309-310936; 14. Army, 319-309-312940; 15. Marshall, 316-309-316941.
Top Individuals: 1. *Justin Bertsch, (Toledo) 66-72-72210 (-6); T2. Wayne Denger, (Ball State) 68-73-69210 (-6); T2. Tyler Riley, (Toledo) 72-69-69210 (-6); 4. Korey Mahoney, (Eastern Michigan) 71-69-74214 (-2); 5. Matt Van Cleave, (K-State) 75-69-73217 (+1).
Wildcat Individuals: T12. Nick Schumacher, 79-70-74223 (+7); T18. Jonathan James, 73-78-74225 (+9); T46. Kyle Yonke, 76-74-82232 (+16); T49. Ben Kern, 83-76-74233 (+17).
* Won on four-hole playoff
