Murray State University Athletics
Monday, April 24
Muscle Shoals, Ala.
8:00 a.m.
Murray State
vs
Ohio Valley Conference
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
/ Men's Golf
Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics
Edwards Leads Racers At OVC - Knight Has Hole-In-One
4/26/2017 7:06:00 PM | Men's Golf
The Murray State men's golf team ended their run at the 2017 Ohio Valley Conference Championship by improving from eighth place to fifth in the final round at The Shoals Golf Club in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
The story lines popped in the final round for the Racers as they made a leap to fifth place, said goodbye to senior Matthew Zakutney and saw Austin Knight make a hole-in-one.
Playing the Fighting Joe course at The Shoals, the Racers posted scores of 298-294-297=889, which earned them a spot in fifth place as they passed Tennessee Tech, Austin Peay and Morehead State in the final 18 holes. MSU placed only one shot from fourth place UT Martin (888) and one shot ahead of Austin Peay, Morehead State and TTU all at 890. Belmont (921), Tennessee State (926) and Eastern Illinois (967) rounded out the bottom of the field.
Avery Edwards was MSU's most consistent player and was their top finisher with a spot in 11th place on scores of 74-73-72=219, while Matthew Winder had a spot in 23rd place with rounds of 75-72-77=224. Austin Knight, who had MSU's first hole-in-one in the OVC Championship since 2008, placed 31st with rounds of 80-72-75=227. Matthew Zakutney, MSU's only senior, had a farewell final round and placed 36th on scores of 73-77-79=229. Gabe Wheeler placed 42nd on scores of 76-83-73=232.
The afternoon finish by the Tennessee River proved to be full of drama as four teams went down to the final holes to decide the 2017 champion. Jacksonville State posted a final round 289 and waited on leader Eastern Kentucky to finish. When the dust cleared, JSU came from eight shots back to win by one shot at 866, ahead of EKU at 867. SIUE placed third (870) and UT Martin was fourth (888).
Round 3 Notes
Austin Knight's hole-in-one caused quite a stir on the sixth hole when he holed out from 186 yards with a 7-iron. The cup sustained some minor damage when the ball went in on the fly. The cup was
quickly repaired and play was not delayed. It was Knight's fourth career ace and his first since 2015 at Hopkinsville Country Club.
Knight's ace is the first for the Racers since teammate Gabe Wheeler did it in February of 2016 in Goodyear, Arizona. The last time a Racer had a hole-in-one at the OVC Tournament; it came from Nick Newcomb in April of 2008 at Country Club of Paducah. Newcomb's ace came on the second hole and helped him win the first of two OVC individual championships.
Matthew Winder led the OVC field in par-4 scoring with an average of 3.87 and he was 4-under-par for the three rounds. Avery Edwards was third at 3.90 (-2). Austin Knight was sixth in the event with 38 total pars.
The Racers scored another win over Austin Peay in the next clash in the Heritage Bank Battle of the Border. The Racers had a total score of 889 to the Governors' 890. The men's golf win gives MSU three points, which pushes their lead over APSU to 40.5 to 12.5. The traveling trophy had already been clinched prior to the men's golf event.
After scoring averages of 75.16 and 74.85 in perfect conditions the first two rounds, the Fighting Joe course showed its teeth in a very blustery final round as the field had a scoring average of 77.75.
JSU's Bobby Hayes and UTM's Hunter Richardson tied at 212 for medalist honors. Richardson will represent the OVC at the NCAA Tournament as an individual, while Hayes will be with JSU who represents the league as the team winner.
The story lines popped in the final round for the Racers as they made a leap to fifth place, said goodbye to senior Matthew Zakutney and saw Austin Knight make a hole-in-one.
Playing the Fighting Joe course at The Shoals, the Racers posted scores of 298-294-297=889, which earned them a spot in fifth place as they passed Tennessee Tech, Austin Peay and Morehead State in the final 18 holes. MSU placed only one shot from fourth place UT Martin (888) and one shot ahead of Austin Peay, Morehead State and TTU all at 890. Belmont (921), Tennessee State (926) and Eastern Illinois (967) rounded out the bottom of the field.
Avery Edwards was MSU's most consistent player and was their top finisher with a spot in 11th place on scores of 74-73-72=219, while Matthew Winder had a spot in 23rd place with rounds of 75-72-77=224. Austin Knight, who had MSU's first hole-in-one in the OVC Championship since 2008, placed 31st with rounds of 80-72-75=227. Matthew Zakutney, MSU's only senior, had a farewell final round and placed 36th on scores of 73-77-79=229. Gabe Wheeler placed 42nd on scores of 76-83-73=232.
The afternoon finish by the Tennessee River proved to be full of drama as four teams went down to the final holes to decide the 2017 champion. Jacksonville State posted a final round 289 and waited on leader Eastern Kentucky to finish. When the dust cleared, JSU came from eight shots back to win by one shot at 866, ahead of EKU at 867. SIUE placed third (870) and UT Martin was fourth (888).
Round 3 Notes
Austin Knight's hole-in-one caused quite a stir on the sixth hole when he holed out from 186 yards with a 7-iron. The cup sustained some minor damage when the ball went in on the fly. The cup was
quickly repaired and play was not delayed. It was Knight's fourth career ace and his first since 2015 at Hopkinsville Country Club.Knight's ace is the first for the Racers since teammate Gabe Wheeler did it in February of 2016 in Goodyear, Arizona. The last time a Racer had a hole-in-one at the OVC Tournament; it came from Nick Newcomb in April of 2008 at Country Club of Paducah. Newcomb's ace came on the second hole and helped him win the first of two OVC individual championships.
Matthew Winder led the OVC field in par-4 scoring with an average of 3.87 and he was 4-under-par for the three rounds. Avery Edwards was third at 3.90 (-2). Austin Knight was sixth in the event with 38 total pars.
The Racers scored another win over Austin Peay in the next clash in the Heritage Bank Battle of the Border. The Racers had a total score of 889 to the Governors' 890. The men's golf win gives MSU three points, which pushes their lead over APSU to 40.5 to 12.5. The traveling trophy had already been clinched prior to the men's golf event.
After scoring averages of 75.16 and 74.85 in perfect conditions the first two rounds, the Fighting Joe course showed its teeth in a very blustery final round as the field had a scoring average of 77.75.
JSU's Bobby Hayes and UTM's Hunter Richardson tied at 212 for medalist honors. Richardson will represent the OVC at the NCAA Tournament as an individual, while Hayes will be with JSU who represents the league as the team winner.
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