APSU Sports Information
Nashville, TN – Movement up and down the leaderboard at the Ryman Hospitality Intercollegiate found the Austin Peay State University (APSU) men’s golf team in fifth at the end of the 36-hole event, the program’s fifth top-five finish in the 2018-19 season.
A final-round 292 kept the Govs one shot ahead of Bradley, which imploded with a final-round 302 to drop from second to sixth. However, a final-round 289 from host Lipscomb allowed the Bisons to vault seven spots, from 11th to fourth.
USC Upstate’s final-round 281 took the Spartans from fourth to overall winner at 573, with Southern Miss (576), Samford (582), Lipscomb (586) and Austin Peay State University (587) in the top-five.
The Govs final round was paced by freshman Micah Knisley, who rallied from a tough opening round to post a team-best and career-low tying 69 in the final round. That vaulted Knisley 44 spots up the leaderboard into a tie for 38th with a 152 (83-69).
Both Chase Korte and Austin Lancaster made their way into the top-20, tying for 19th at 146 apiece. Chase Korte had a round highlight with an eagle on the 507-yard par-5 at No. 10, one of just 12 eagles over two rounds by the entire 87-player field. Lancaster’s consistency was the thing that kept him hanging around the top of the leaderboard; he sank 26 pars, most among the Govs and tied for second-highest total in the tournament.
Junior Michael Busse finished a shot back at 23rd, shooting a 147 (72-75) to finish one shot out of the top-20. His seven birdies led the Govs, with five in the final round; he sank one of four final-round birdies on the 427-yard par-4 No. 8.
Sophomore Garrett Whitfield (79-75—154) rounded out the lineup for the Govs, while junior Alex Vegh finished out his spring’s first tournament with a 157 (77-80); he tied Korte and Knisley for second on the team with six birdies.
And that’s a wrap on the regular season for the Governors. Austin Peay’s next competition is the big one—the 2019 Ohio Valley Conference Men’s Golf Championships in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, April 21st-23rd at The Shoals on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Fighting Joe course.