Former Wildcat Kern Makes Cut at PGA Championship
Aug 11, 2018 | Men's Golf
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – All that stood between former K-State golfer Ben Kern and possibly making the cut at his first PGA event was a 7-foot birdie putt, one that Kern sunk to get on the right side of the cutline as he finished his second round of the 100th PGA Championship on Friday at Bellerive Country Club.
However, Kern had to wait another 19 hours to know for sure that he would play two more rounds this weekend after the second round was suspended due to weather and completed Saturday morning around 11 a.m. When all the competitors were done with their second round, Kern's final putt on Friday afternoon proved to be the difference as he finished just inside the cutline at even-par 140.
Kern, who was at 2-over par on the day and 3-over par for the championship through six holes on Friday, rebounded in a big way. He played bogey-free golf over his final 12 holes with three birdies to get to 1-under par for round two and even par for the championship.
A member of the K-State men's golf program from 2003-06, Kern was the only PGA Professional to move on to the weekend as the other 19 did not make the cut.
Currently the head golf professional at Diamondback Golf Club in Abilene, Texas, Kern shot a 1-over par 71 in round one on Thursday with a birdie on the par-3 third hole. As he moved to 3-over par for the championship following a bogey on No. 6 on Friday, Kern birdied Nos. 7, 14 and 18, all par 4s.
Kern, tied for 63rd going into play on Saturday afternoon, will tee off his third round at 12:48 p.m. (CT), and be paired with Seungsu Han and Scott Brown. Coverage of the 100th PGA Championship is available on TNT and moves to CBS at 1 p.m.
However, Kern had to wait another 19 hours to know for sure that he would play two more rounds this weekend after the second round was suspended due to weather and completed Saturday morning around 11 a.m. When all the competitors were done with their second round, Kern's final putt on Friday afternoon proved to be the difference as he finished just inside the cutline at even-par 140.
Kern, who was at 2-over par on the day and 3-over par for the championship through six holes on Friday, rebounded in a big way. He played bogey-free golf over his final 12 holes with three birdies to get to 1-under par for round two and even par for the championship.
A member of the K-State men's golf program from 2003-06, Kern was the only PGA Professional to move on to the weekend as the other 19 did not make the cut.
Currently the head golf professional at Diamondback Golf Club in Abilene, Texas, Kern shot a 1-over par 71 in round one on Thursday with a birdie on the par-3 third hole. As he moved to 3-over par for the championship following a bogey on No. 6 on Friday, Kern birdied Nos. 7, 14 and 18, all par 4s.
Kern, tied for 63rd going into play on Saturday afternoon, will tee off his third round at 12:48 p.m. (CT), and be paired with Seungsu Han and Scott Brown. Coverage of the 100th PGA Championship is available on TNT and moves to CBS at 1 p.m.
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