Cats Finish on High Note at Big 12 Championship

Monday, April 24

Hutchinson, Kan.

Kansas State University

Big 12 Championship

Apr 26, 2023 | Men's Golf

Final Results

HUTCHINSON, Kan. - The 24th-ranked Kansas State men's golf team put together a score of 2-over par 281 on Wednesday during the final round of the 2023 Big 12 Championship held at the par-70, 7,025-yard Prairie Dunes Country Club.

The Wildcats maintained their seventh-place spot on the leaderboard and finished the 72-hole championship at 41-over par 1,161. Their score of 2-over par on Wednesday tied for the fourth lowest of the day.

K-State improved its team score over every round of the tournament, while all five Wildcats improved their placings on the individual leaderboard during the final round.

"They played really well today," head coach Grant Robbins said. "I am proud of how they battled back. We just dug too big of a hole on the first day. Hopefully we can use this as momentum heading into regionals."

Sophomore Cooper Schultz improved seven spots on the leaderboard during the final round into a tie for 12th place at 8-over par 288 after a score of 1-over par 71 on Wednesday. His 72-hole tally of 288 tied for the fourth lowest in school history, while his tie for 12th was the best by a Wildcat at the Big 12 Championship since Jeremy Gandon and Roland Massimino tied for eighth in 2019.

The Wildcats' low rounds of the day belonged to junior Luke O'Neill and senior Will Hopkins at even-par 70. A native of Connemara, Ireland, O'Neill recorded three birdies on the day to help him finish with a 72-hole score of 9-over par 289 to tie for 15th place, an eight-spot jump from Tuesday. Hopkins made a seven-spot jump on the leaderboard to tie for 21st at 11-over par 291.

Senior Tim Tillmanns finished in 29th place at 14-over par 294 as he turned in a 1-over par 71 on Wednesday. His final placing was a four-spot improvement from the third round.

Sophomore Nicklaus Mason climbed three spots during the final round to tie for 36th place at 20-over par 300. He carded a 3-over par 73 on Wednesday, his best round of the event.

No. 10 Oklahoma earned a wire-to-wire victory at 1-under par 1,119 as the Sooners were 18 shots better than TCU, which climbed three spots on the final day to finish in second place. Texas Tech's Ludvig Aberg, who is the second-ranked player in the nation, took home the individual title at 15-under par 265, eight shots better than the next best player.

Kansas State will learn of its NCAA Regional assignment next Wednesday, May 3, at 12 p.m. (CT) during College Central on GOLF Channel. The Wildcats will advance to one of six sites and will play in the postseason in consecutive years for the first time since 2008 and 2009.