Colonels set to tee off Monday
Jason Finnell
Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: Sports
Last season was possibly the best season of all time for Eastern's men's golf team. The Colonels won five events and placed in the top five a total of five times. Eastern ran away with its 11th OVC championship, beating Murray State by 19 shots. The win put the Colonels into the 2008 NCAA Central Regional.
Eastern finished tied for 12th, three shots away from earning them a trip to the championship round. At the end of the season, the Colonels were awarded the OVC Sportsmanship Award.
Although they lost three key players from the championship team-Phil Hendrickson, Ryan Britt, and Justin Moore-the Colonels expect to reload as they work towards their 12th OVC championship banner.
Coach Pat Stephens conceded that although the team did lose key elements from last year's team, seniors Trey Bowling and Jesse Massie help fill the holes left by graduates.
"We have guys coming back. We have young talent that I've recruited. So we shouldn't miss a beat," Stephens said.
And as this season got its start, Eastern didn't take too long to start repeating the success of last season.
On August 15, senior Trey Bowling won one of the state's most prestigious golf tournaments, the Kentucky Open.
Bowling entered the final day tied for first, but after the co-leader double-bogeyed the first hole, Bowling held the lead to the end. He fired a 1-under-par 71 in the final round to win by one stroke. He finished with a three-round total of 206, good for 10 under par.
Senior Shawn McConnell shot 72-72-70 to finish tied for 13th. Senior Brandon Berry shot a 75 and 67 in the first two rounds to make the cut and shot a 79 in the third round.
Jesse Massie and Corey Welch did not make the cut.
Eastern golfers have won the Kentucky Open for two consecutive years, following Hendrickson's title in 2007.
Five seniors will lead the Colonels this season. Bowling, McConnell, Berry, Massie, and Andrew Davis comprise the most experienced team in the OVC and one of the most experienced teams in the nation.
Eastern finished tied for 12th, three shots away from earning them a trip to the championship round. At the end of the season, the Colonels were awarded the OVC Sportsmanship Award.
Although they lost three key players from the championship team-Phil Hendrickson, Ryan Britt, and Justin Moore-the Colonels expect to reload as they work towards their 12th OVC championship banner.
Coach Pat Stephens conceded that although the team did lose key elements from last year's team, seniors Trey Bowling and Jesse Massie help fill the holes left by graduates.
"We have guys coming back. We have young talent that I've recruited. So we shouldn't miss a beat," Stephens said.
And as this season got its start, Eastern didn't take too long to start repeating the success of last season.
On August 15, senior Trey Bowling won one of the state's most prestigious golf tournaments, the Kentucky Open.
Bowling entered the final day tied for first, but after the co-leader double-bogeyed the first hole, Bowling held the lead to the end. He fired a 1-under-par 71 in the final round to win by one stroke. He finished with a three-round total of 206, good for 10 under par.
Senior Shawn McConnell shot 72-72-70 to finish tied for 13th. Senior Brandon Berry shot a 75 and 67 in the first two rounds to make the cut and shot a 79 in the third round.
Jesse Massie and Corey Welch did not make the cut.
Eastern golfers have won the Kentucky Open for two consecutive years, following Hendrickson's title in 2007.
Five seniors will lead the Colonels this season. Bowling, McConnell, Berry, Massie, and Andrew Davis comprise the most experienced team in the OVC and one of the most experienced teams in the nation.