Jayhawks Finish Third at Kansas Invitational

Freshman Ian Anson shot a final-round 76 and finished tied for 12th at his first Kansas Invitational.

Sept. 16, 2008

LAWRENCE, Kan. -

Nate Barbee fired a final-round 70 to lead the Kansas men’s golf team to a third-place finish at the 2008 Kansas Invitational at Alvamar Golf Club (par-72, 7092 yards).

The Jayhawks shot a final-round 298 to hold off South Dakota St. by two shots for their second-straight third place finish to start the year. California-Davis won the event, besting TCU by eight shots to take home the team crown.

“I am happy how we have started off the year with a 22-4 head-to-head record in our first two events,” said head coach Kit Grove. “Obviously I am not all that pleased to take three rounds of 76 or higher on our home course, but we lucked out and still got third.”

Barbee’s round of 70 marks his third under-par round of the year in just five rounds played. Barbee finished the event in sixth place, which marks the second time in two tries that Barbee has finished in the top-10 at the Kansas Invitational.

“Nate is already a very good player for us and he is only going to get better,” said Grove. “Once he gets over the hump and wins his first collegiate tournament, I could see him reeling off a half-dozen more before he is done.”

Barbee was joined in the top-20 by teammates Walt Koelbel, a senior, and freshman Ian Anson. Both Koelbel and Anson shot final-round 76s to finish the event tied for 12th place. Koelbel has now recorded two top-20 finishes in the Kansas Invitational in his Jayhawk career.

Senior Andrew Storm fired a final-round 76 to finish the event tied for 46th place. Freshman Blake Giroux finished with a final-round 80 and tied for 56th place.

Four Jayhawks competed as individuals in the event. Sophomore Bobby Knowles was the top-individual competitor for the Jayhawks with a 61st-place finish after a final-round 78.

Austin Graham of California-Davis won individual medalist honors with a six-under total of 210 for the tournament. He was joined in the top-five among individuals by teammates Nate Pistacchio and Ramie Sprinkling.

The Jayhawks will next be in action when they head to Louisville, Ky. to compete in the Louisville Invitational Sept. 29-30. Check back to kuathletics.com for complete coverage of the Jayhawks’ fall season.

Team Leaderboard

1. California Davis (290-290-285—865)

2. TCU (294-286-293—873)

3. Kansas (297-287-298—882)

4. South Dakota St. (292-287-3305—884)

5. Oklahoma City (301-293-294—888)

Individual Leaderboard

1. Austin Graham, California-Davis (72-70-68—210)

2. Trent Peterson, South Dakota St. (70-71-73—214)

3. Nate Pistacchio, California-Davis (69-73-73—215)

T4. Ramie Sprinkling, California-Davis (73-73-70—216)

T4. Nathan Sheen, North Texas (72-73-71—216)

6. Nate Barbee, Kansas (76-71-70—217)

T12. Ian Anson, Kansas (72-72-76—220)

T12. Walt Koelbel, Kansas (74-70-76—220)

T46. Andrew Storm, Kansas (78-74-76—228)

T56. Blake Giroux, Kansas (75-76-80—231)

T61. Bobby Knowles, Kansas (79-75-78—232)

T70. Patrick Roth, Kansas (76-78-80—234)

T72. Brandon Hermreck, Kansas (79-75-84—236)

T79. Bryan Hackenberg, Kansas (80-80-78—238)