Austin Peay Governors Golf in 3rd place at WKU Kenny Perry Invitational despite tough conditions

APSU Sports: Austin Peay Men’s Golf

Bowling Green, KY – Conditions were the victor in the first round of the WKU Kenny Perry Invitational.

Thirty miles-per-hour winds added to one of the most difficult courses Austin Peay State University has faced in head coach Kirk Kayden’s career.

The Govs’ Ohio Valley Conference foe, Jacksonville State, which played at Olde Stone during the NCAA Regional last spring, leads the tournament after an opening-round 305, followed by Louisville at 315. Akron is in fourth at 321.

OVC members Morehead State (sixth/330), Tennessee Tech (seventh/331), Eastern Kentucky (ninth/333) and Belmont (10th/338) also are competing on the par 72, 7372-yard layout. The second 18 holes will be played Monday, with the final round on Tuesday.

“I was standing with some of the other coaches on the (practice) putting green this morning and we thought 80 would be a good score,” Kayden said. “When you considered the length of the course-it tipped out at 7,400 yards-and the placement of the pins to go with the winds, there were not going to be a lot of good scores.

“The course today played longer than the NCAA Regional here back last spring.”

Junior Marco Iten is tied for fourth place after shooting a 5-over 77 while Anthony Bradley is tied for 10th with a 7-over 79, knocking home a 20-foot birdie on the final home to get below 80. Jacksonville State Franco Grillo led the way with an even-par 72 while teammate Tomasz Anderson was at 2-over 74.

On the day, the average score was 83.90, with only 12 players below 80.

“We had two scores under 80 and that was good,” Kayden said. “Both Marco and Anthony played pretty well considering everything.

“For a guy (Grillo) to shoot even par, that is like a 65 on a normal course in good conditions. You have to take your hat off to him.”

Kayden hopes his veteran team can put Sunday’s round behind it and bounce with a stronger round in what is expected to be better weather conditions, Monday.

“We just have to forget about today,” Kayden said. “Everything was relative today as far as scores were concerned. You can go one way or the other.  If you forget about today and put together some good scores as a team you have the opportunity to get back in this thing. If you allow today to bother you, you can go the other way.”

WKU Kenny Perry Invitational – Round 1

The Club at Olde Stone
Bowling Green, KY
Dates: October 14th – October 16th