Kansas State University
TPC Dorado Beach Collegiate
K-State to Begin Spring Climb in Puerto Rico
Feb 21, 2020 | Men's Golf
MANHATTAN, Kansas – As the Kansas State men's golf team enters uncharted territory – playing its first tournament outside of the contiguous United States in program history when it tees off Sunday at TPC Dorado Beach in Puerto Rico – it finds itself in a similar position to a year ago and looking for a the same sizzling finish after a sluggish start to the season.
Last year the Wildcats were coming off of a couple tough fall finishes, including a 10th- and 14th-place finish in consecutive events, before going on a tear in the spring, which included five top-five finishes, a tournament win at the Mission Inn Spring Spectacular among them. Likewise, K-State enters this spring ranked in the triple digits and still looking to hit its stride after losing two of the three individual NCAA Regional participants from 2019.
The potential to "Keep Climbing" – a mantra the team has adopted – begins on the Sugar Cane Course, a par-72, 7,112-yard track in the Caribbean. The three-day, 54-hole tournament will consist of 18 holes each on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.
"We are really excited to get the spring season started and are especially looking forward to competing in Puerto Rico," head coach Grant Robbins said. "This is a new tournament but I have heard great things about the course and it's a very strong field. The guys have been working extremely hard and I know they are eager to get out and compete."
A big part of last season's success was now senior Jacob Eklund. Eklund's three top-five finishes individually, two of those being second place, catapulted the Carbondale, Illinois native into his first NCAA Regional appearance. He'll lead the Wildcats in the first slot, followed by Ben Fernandez, freshman Riccardo Leo, Will Hopkins and George Clarke. Kyle Vance will also join the team in sunny Puerto Rico, and compete as an individual.
K-State, whose fall highlight was placing third at the Big 12 Match Play Championship, will face a stiff challenge on the island from a field that includes host UNC-Greensboro, Army, Boston College, Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, Indiana, 21st-ranked Louisville, Michigan State, 6th-ranked Notre Dame, Rutgers, VCU and Virginia Tech.
Live scoring of the TPC Dorado Collegiate can be followed hole by hole on golfstat.com.
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