Murray State University Athletics
Youthful Racers Make Impressive Run To Earn Second At OVC Championship
4/28/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
The Murray State men's golf team played beyond their years to earn an impressive second-place finish at the 2004 Ohio Valley Conference Championship after today's final round of action at the 6,915-yard, par-72 course at the Country Club of Paducah (Ky.).
MSU, which featured a five-man lineup consisting of three sophomores and two freshman, fired a 302 - 304 - 304 = 910 to finish just four shots behind champion Jacksonville State's 302 - 298 - 306 = 906. Eastern Kentucky finished third in the field of 11 teams with a 307 - 310 - 301 = 918, while Austin Peay held down fourth with a 298 - 311 - 317 = 926.
The Racers were consistently near the top of the standings throughout the 54-hole event, which was pleasing to second-year MSU head coach Eddie Hunt.
"I'm really proud of my guys because they put together three very consistent rounds and we were in it until the very end," Hunt said. "To be as young as we are, I'm very pleased with the way we handled everything this week. This is a good finish for us, though we did have our sights set on the title."
MSU was led by sophomore Kyle Shirley, a native of Fountain Run, Ky., who earned a tie for fourth place in the field of 55 golfers after firing a 71 - 73 - 82 = 226. Fellow sophomore Will Cox, a product of Paducah Tilghman High School, used a strong even-par 72 on the tournament's final day to earn a ninth-place tie at 79 - 78 - 72 = 229.
Sophomore Jamie Frazier, from Glasgow, Ky., finished 13th with a 78 - 79 - 74 = 231, while freshman Nicolas Griffen was tied for 14th with a 74 - 78 - 80 = 232. Freshman Michael Craft of Paducah earned a tie for 17th with an 80 - 75 - 78 = 233 placing all five MSU players in the top-17.
"This was a great showing for us, and I really believe it will help us over the next couple of years," Hunt said. "We went toe-to-toe with Jacksonville State and outplayed them in the final round, but we just couldn't get over the hump for the tournament."
2004 MEN'S ALL-OVC TEAM
Matias Anselmo, Jacksonville State
Brandon Brown, Eastern Kentucky
Robert Dinwiddie, Tennessee State
Matt Gallant, Austin Peay
Nick Mackay, Jacksonville State
2004 MEN'S ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Matias Anselmo, Jacksonville State
Brandon Brown, Eastern Kentucky
Robert Dinwiddie, Tennessee State
Nick Mackay, Jacksonville State
Kyle Shirley, Murray State
