Return to Traditions, Golf Govs set for Bearcat Invitational

APSU Men’s Golf

Clarksville, TN – Coming off its season’s best finish, Austin Peay State University men’s golf team will look to carry its momentum into the Bearcat Invitational, played at the 7,100-yard Traditions Golf Course in Hebron, KY.

Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State are the other two Ohio Valley Conference teams in the 17-team field, which also includes host Cincinnati, Ball State, Ohio, Western Kentucky, Oakland and Belmont.

The Govs, most recently, finished third at the rain-shortened Telich/Sunlife Financial. Played at the difficult Canterbury Golf Club, that tournament was an excellent set-up for a Tradition’s course on which the Govs have performed well on in the past. In fact, last season, the Govs finished ninth overall led by then-senior Erik Barnes, who finished fourth.

“Traditions is a great golf course and sets up well for the guys that are going this week,” head coach Kirk Kayden said. “It is a ball-strikers golf course and we have many of the guys hitting it well going into the tournament. I am hopeful we can keep our momentum that we built from last week’s third-place finish”.

Perhaps the most interesting facet of the Bearcat Invitational will be an adjusted format for the first day of the 54-hole event. The tournament has been assigned by the NCAA as a test site for a potential new format for the NCAA Golf Championships. All five members of the same team will play together on the 36-hole day in an effort to improve pace of play.

Austin Peay’s lineup will be similar to what has been used in the season’s first three tournaments. Senior Luke Sherrod, freshmen Anthony Bradley and Marco Iten, along with senior Brian Balthrop and junior Logan Loftus will make up the Govs group.

“Luke and Brian have played the golf course before,” Kayden said.”This should help everyone in the practice round get prepared for the event.”

Sherrod, who will be making his second appearance at the Bearcat Invite, leads the Govs with a 71.7 stroke average over the first three events. Sherrod, in fact, has led the Govs in two of their three tournaments this year. Bradley posted a seventh-place finish at the Marshall Invitational to open the season, making his way to a 72.5 scoring average.

Iten joins Bradley as the only other Govs freshman to play in every tournament thus far. Balthrop posted a season-low 71 in the first round of the Telich/Sunlife Financial. Loftus, meanwhile, will be making his third appearance.