Wildcats Tie for Eighth at Mossy Oak Collegiate

WEST POINT, Miss. - The 24th-ranked Kansas State men's golf team was unable to make a final push up the leaderboard as the Wildcats finished the Mossy Oak Collegiate in a tie for eighth place with a 54-hole score of 18-under par 846 as play concluded Tuesday at the par-72, 7,212-yard Mossy Oak Golf Club.

With the completion of the second round taking place Tuesday morning, K-State turned in a score of 8-under par 280 to begin final-round play alone in eighth place. The Wildcats then carded a 3-under par 285 to finish out the event as they tied with No. 33 Cincinnati, while every team that finished above the Wildcats are ranked in the Golfstat Top 50.

"I thought the guys really grinded this week," head coach Grant Robbins said. "Obviously this was the strongest field we have played in all year. I thought we were very good off the tee, but we just weren't quite good enough from 100 yards and in. This was a good test for us as we get ready for the postseason and to see the areas we need to get better in, such as with our wedges and making a few more of the short to mid-range putts. Overall, I'm pleased with where we are, but we need to keep improving."

K-State was led on Tuesday by sophomore Cooper Schultz, who finished the second round with a 2-under par 70 before turning in a 3-under par 69 in the final 18. He moved 15 spots up the leaderboard in the final round to tie for 27th at 5-under par 211. Schultz's final round featured eight birdies, including a three-hole birdie stretch on Nos. 15,16 and 17.

Schultz finished one stroke back of senior Will Hopkins, who tied for 21st at 6-under par 210. The Lincolnshire, England, native produced his second-straight score of 3-under par 69 in the second 18 before closing the event with an even-par round. He has finished even or under par in seven of eight events this season.

Another senior, Tim Tillmanns, also shot even par in the final round after finishing the second round with a 2-under par 70. He tied for 32nd at 4-under par 212, and he too has finished even or under par seven times in eight starts this year.

Sophomore Nicklaus Mason tied for 55th at 1-over par 217. He closed out his second round on Tuesday morning at even-par 72 before going 3-over par 75 in the final 18.

Luke O'Neill put together a solid final day by finishing his second round with a 1-under par 71 before turning in an even-par 72 to conclude the event. The junior, who eagled No. 10 in the final round, finished in 72nd place with a 54-hole score of 4-over par 220.

No. 15 Tennessee won a tightly-contested team title at 40-under par 824, one shot ahead of No. 4 Auburn and two strokes better than host-school and No. 21 Mississippi State. Auburn's Ryan Eshleman, who was competing as an individual, and Ole Miss' Sarut Vongchaisit finished atop the individual leaderboard at 13-under par 203.

The Wildcats are back in action next week at the Tiger Collegiate Invitational, Monday and Tuesday, at The Club at Old Hawthorne in Columbia, Missouri.

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Players Mentioned

Will Hopkins

Nicklaus Mason

Luke O'Neill

Cooper Schultz

Tim Tillmanns

Players Mentioned

Will Hopkins

Nicklaus Mason

Luke O'Neill

Cooper Schultz

Tim Tillmanns

Kansas State University Athletics