Sunday, September 22
Dallas, Texas
Kansas State University
at
Trinity Forest Invitational
'Cats Looking to Bounce Back in Dallas
Sep 20, 2019 | Men's Golf
MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State freshman Riccardo Leo set his tee, took two practice swings, stepped up to the ball, got his feet set and ripped the first official shot of his collegiate career onto the fairway – one of just 73 strokes he'd need on the opening day of the Golfweek Conference Challenge, and a team-best 220 (+4) he'd need over the three day event. Leo, who'd asked an accommodating teammate George Clarke to film the personally historic occasion, will take another meaningful tee shot this weekend when he joins the K-State scoring lineup at the Trinity Forest Invitational.
"I was excited," Leo said of his first stroke, the first of more than 9,000 he'll take as a Wildcat. "I asked George to video my first tee shot, it was a good moment for me, absolutely one of the good parts of my career."
Leo and Clarke, who made the trip to Iowa as an alternate, will both make their scoring lineup debut as the K-State men's golf team tries to bounce back from a disappointing last place finish in the opener, on the Par 71, 7,486-yard Trinity Forest Golf Club, home of the PGA's AT&T Byron Nelson Classic. First round tee times are set for Sunday from 8:00 a.m. (CT) to 10:30 a.m. from holes one and ten.
The first tee wasn't the only photogenic moment for the Italian national, one of K-State's highest ranked in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (457), and won't be the last. Leo nearly made the scoring lineup for the season opener and brings a bevy of high level international experience. That experience, along with great ball striking, makes Leo an intriguing prospect, but it's his attitude that's already catching the attention of his older teammates.
"He's always smiling, which is good for us, especially after last week," K-State senior Jacob Eklund said. "We were all kind of down in the dumps and he's over here asking if we can get pictures for his Papa and just smiling like crazy. I think it's a good aspect for our team to have a guy who's always willing to pick us up and have a positive attitude.
"He's got the most potential I think I've ever seen in a kid. To play as well as he did in his very first college start, I think the only way from here to go is up for him."
Eklund and fellow senior Ben Fernandez, a native of nearby Southlake, Texas, as well as junior Kyle Vance return to the scoring lineup for a Wildcat squad looking for improved play. Clarke, a junior college All-American, and Leo, the only player to break the top-30 while competing as an individual last week, will try to add a spark for K-State and it may start with Leo's infectious smile.
"I'm here, enjoying my college life, this is why I'm happy," Leo said. "It's a great opportunity for me, I'm living my dream. This is why I'm happy all the time."
K-State last competed in the Trinity Forest Invitational in 2017 and played a match against SMU when the course opened the year before. The Wildcats placed 10th as a team during the last visit and Fernandez notched a top-15 finish while shooting 1-under par 212.
Joining the Wildcats in Dallas will be Abilene Christian, Arizona State, Ball State, College of Charleston, Denver, Houston, Little Rock, Marquette, Mississippi State, North Texas, Rice, Sam Houston State, tournament host SMU, UC Davis, UT Davis, and Virginia. Nine of the 17 competing teams are ranked in the top-100 of Golfweek's Sagarin Rankings, making the Trinity Forest Invitational one of the more competitive tournaments for the Wildcats this season.
"We are looking forward to competing at Trinity Forest this weekend," head coach Grant Robbins said. "It's a really strong field and the great opportunity to play at a PGA Tour course that is unlike most that we play. It's a true links course that plays firm and fast and requires a lot of shot making, especially around the greens.
"We are getting healthy this week and are eager to bounce back and play the caliber of golf we are capable of playing."
"I was excited," Leo said of his first stroke, the first of more than 9,000 he'll take as a Wildcat. "I asked George to video my first tee shot, it was a good moment for me, absolutely one of the good parts of my career."
Leo and Clarke, who made the trip to Iowa as an alternate, will both make their scoring lineup debut as the K-State men's golf team tries to bounce back from a disappointing last place finish in the opener, on the Par 71, 7,486-yard Trinity Forest Golf Club, home of the PGA's AT&T Byron Nelson Classic. First round tee times are set for Sunday from 8:00 a.m. (CT) to 10:30 a.m. from holes one and ten.
The first tee wasn't the only photogenic moment for the Italian national, one of K-State's highest ranked in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (457), and won't be the last. Leo nearly made the scoring lineup for the season opener and brings a bevy of high level international experience. That experience, along with great ball striking, makes Leo an intriguing prospect, but it's his attitude that's already catching the attention of his older teammates.
"He's always smiling, which is good for us, especially after last week," K-State senior Jacob Eklund said. "We were all kind of down in the dumps and he's over here asking if we can get pictures for his Papa and just smiling like crazy. I think it's a good aspect for our team to have a guy who's always willing to pick us up and have a positive attitude.
"He's got the most potential I think I've ever seen in a kid. To play as well as he did in his very first college start, I think the only way from here to go is up for him."
Eklund and fellow senior Ben Fernandez, a native of nearby Southlake, Texas, as well as junior Kyle Vance return to the scoring lineup for a Wildcat squad looking for improved play. Clarke, a junior college All-American, and Leo, the only player to break the top-30 while competing as an individual last week, will try to add a spark for K-State and it may start with Leo's infectious smile.
"I'm here, enjoying my college life, this is why I'm happy," Leo said. "It's a great opportunity for me, I'm living my dream. This is why I'm happy all the time."
K-State last competed in the Trinity Forest Invitational in 2017 and played a match against SMU when the course opened the year before. The Wildcats placed 10th as a team during the last visit and Fernandez notched a top-15 finish while shooting 1-under par 212.
Joining the Wildcats in Dallas will be Abilene Christian, Arizona State, Ball State, College of Charleston, Denver, Houston, Little Rock, Marquette, Mississippi State, North Texas, Rice, Sam Houston State, tournament host SMU, UC Davis, UT Davis, and Virginia. Nine of the 17 competing teams are ranked in the top-100 of Golfweek's Sagarin Rankings, making the Trinity Forest Invitational one of the more competitive tournaments for the Wildcats this season.
"We are looking forward to competing at Trinity Forest this weekend," head coach Grant Robbins said. "It's a really strong field and the great opportunity to play at a PGA Tour course that is unlike most that we play. It's a true links course that plays firm and fast and requires a lot of shot making, especially around the greens.
"We are getting healthy this week and are eager to bounce back and play the caliber of golf we are capable of playing."
Players Mentioned
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