TAMPA, Fla. — The LSU men’s golf team shot a final-round 6-over 294 Tuesday to finish in 12th place at the Gary Koch/Cleveland Golf Invitational at Old Memorial Golf Club. The Tigers recorded a three-round score of 40-over 904 for the tournament.
“The second round really killed us in this tournament,” said LSU head coach Greg Jones. “We need to try and put three solid rounds together to compete in a tournament like the Gary Koch. We’re going to work to do that for our next tournament.”
Senior Heath West led LSU by tying for 11th place with a 3-over 219. Freshman Beck Troutman finished in a tie for 40th with a 10-over 226, including a career-best 1-under 71 in the final round.
Kentucky claimed the team title by five strokes over Georgia State by shooting an 8-over par 872 in the tournament. The Wildcats also had the low individual as Mark Blakefield finished with a 3-under 213, two strokes ahead of Stefan Wistorf of Central Florida.
The Tigers have two weeks off before returning to action in their first home tournament of the season, the University Club Intercollegiate, Oct. 25-26.
“It’s good that we have two weeks away tournament action,” said Jones. “It gives us a chance to get better and refocus for our first home tournament of the season.”
GARY KOCH/CLEVELAND GOLF INVITATIONAL
TEAM SCORES (Par 864)
1. Kentucky 297-280-295 — 872 +8; 2. Georgia State 300-283-294 — 877 +13; 3. South Carolina 296-286-297 — 879 +15; 4. Central Florida 293-296-296 — 885 +21; 5. Tennessee 304-301-282 — 887 +23; 6. Ole Miss 302-290-296 — 888 +24; 7. Arkansas 307-288-294 — 889 +25; 8. Florida 310-292-291 — 893 +29; 9. North Florida 302-302-293 — 897 +33; 10. South Florida 313-289-296 — 898 +34; 11. Toledo 307-299-297 — 903 +39; 12. LSU 304-306-294 — 904 +40; 13. Florida State 313-295-297 — 905 +41; 14. Ohio State 309-300-302 — 911 +47; 15. College of Charleston 308-318-290 — 916 +52
TOP FIVE INDIVIDUALS (Par 216)
1. Mark Blakefield, Kentucky, 70-69-74 — 213 -3; 2. Stefan Wistorf, Central Florida, 68-73-74 — 215 -1; t3. Jordan Dempsy, Ole Miss, 75-71-70 — 216 E; t3. Matt Every, Florida, 77-66-73 — 216 E; t3. Alex Hamilton, South Carolina, 73-66-77 — 216 E; t3. Darren Baynes, Georgia State, 70-71-75 — 216 E
LSU SCORES
T11. Heath West 71-73-75 — 219 +3
T40. Beck Troutman 81-74-71 — 226 +10
T48. Chris Wells 77-78-73 — 228 +12
T70. Brent Struthers 80-81-75 — 236 +20
72. Garrett Runion 76-81-80 — 237 +21