Murray State University Athletics
Photo by: Murray State Sports Information
Newcomb & Zakutney Carry The Racers At Kentucky State Amateur
6/20/2013 7:23:00 PM | Men's Golf
Results
Former Murray State golfer Patrick Newcomb and incoming freshman Matthew Zakutney carried the day for the Racers Thursday with a second and third place showing in the Kentucky State Amateur Men's Golf Championship in Bowling Green, Ky.
Newcomb (Benton, Ky.), who was attempting to become just the third player in the 103-year history of the event to win three straight titles, had to settle for second as he finished six shots behind winner Tyler McDaniel (Manchester, Ky.) who had scores of 68-67-68=203 at Bowling Green Country Club, while Newcomb had scores of 67-73-69=209.
"Hats off to Tyler, he played great this week," Newcomb said. "It felt good trying to do something rare and win three straight and I really wanted it. But Wednesday's round was one that everything that could go wrong did and I was just too far behind today and needed help to catch up. Tyler went out and won the tournament and tied the scoring record."
Zakutney (Paducah, Ky.) played the last two rounds of the event 8-under-par and finished with scores of 74-69-67=210 for a spot in third place.
"I saw what kind of competition I was up against and went into it just wanting to have a good time," said Zakutney, who played in the Kentucky State Amateur for the first time. "Then I got to thinking maybe I could put something together. I got things going and made a lot of putts, so it was a great experience for me."
Newcomb most likely made his final appearance in the Commonwealth's top event and will have turned professional by this time next year. So in a way, the torch was passed from the "old" Racer, Newcomb, to the freshman Zakutney who is only weeks from starting his career in the MSU blue and gold.
"He's a great kid and going to be a really good player and he showed that this week," Newcomb said. "He had the low round of the day in the final round. We talked on the course a little bit about how to play it. I'm excited about him starting at MSU."
"I look up to Patrick and see what kind of player he's made himself into," Zakutney said. "He never settles for anything but his best and I try and base my game off of that too. I've learned a lot from him just watching how he does things."
The Racer golf program also had representation from two other former players in Chris Griffin (Paducah, Ky.) and Kyle Shirley (Bowling Green, Ky.) Griffin, who is an assistant coach with the Murray State women's golf team, had scores of 76-74-72=222 to grab a spot in 25th place, while Shirley placed 61st with scores of 78-73-78=229.
Current MSU golfers Preston French (Lexington, Ky.), Daniel Harper (Murray, Ky.), Duncan McCormick (Morganfield, Ky.) and Brock Simmons (Murray, Ky.) all qualified and played in the first two rounds, but missed the cut to play in the final round.
Bowling Green Country Club played 6,853 yards and to a par of 72.Â
Former Murray State golfer Patrick Newcomb and incoming freshman Matthew Zakutney carried the day for the Racers Thursday with a second and third place showing in the Kentucky State Amateur Men's Golf Championship in Bowling Green, Ky.
Newcomb (Benton, Ky.), who was attempting to become just the third player in the 103-year history of the event to win three straight titles, had to settle for second as he finished six shots behind winner Tyler McDaniel (Manchester, Ky.) who had scores of 68-67-68=203 at Bowling Green Country Club, while Newcomb had scores of 67-73-69=209.
"Hats off to Tyler, he played great this week," Newcomb said. "It felt good trying to do something rare and win three straight and I really wanted it. But Wednesday's round was one that everything that could go wrong did and I was just too far behind today and needed help to catch up. Tyler went out and won the tournament and tied the scoring record."
Zakutney (Paducah, Ky.) played the last two rounds of the event 8-under-par and finished with scores of 74-69-67=210 for a spot in third place.
"I saw what kind of competition I was up against and went into it just wanting to have a good time," said Zakutney, who played in the Kentucky State Amateur for the first time. "Then I got to thinking maybe I could put something together. I got things going and made a lot of putts, so it was a great experience for me."
Newcomb most likely made his final appearance in the Commonwealth's top event and will have turned professional by this time next year. So in a way, the torch was passed from the "old" Racer, Newcomb, to the freshman Zakutney who is only weeks from starting his career in the MSU blue and gold.
"He's a great kid and going to be a really good player and he showed that this week," Newcomb said. "He had the low round of the day in the final round. We talked on the course a little bit about how to play it. I'm excited about him starting at MSU."
"I look up to Patrick and see what kind of player he's made himself into," Zakutney said. "He never settles for anything but his best and I try and base my game off of that too. I've learned a lot from him just watching how he does things."
The Racer golf program also had representation from two other former players in Chris Griffin (Paducah, Ky.) and Kyle Shirley (Bowling Green, Ky.) Griffin, who is an assistant coach with the Murray State women's golf team, had scores of 76-74-72=222 to grab a spot in 25th place, while Shirley placed 61st with scores of 78-73-78=229.
Current MSU golfers Preston French (Lexington, Ky.), Daniel Harper (Murray, Ky.), Duncan McCormick (Morganfield, Ky.) and Brock Simmons (Murray, Ky.) all qualified and played in the first two rounds, but missed the cut to play in the final round.
Bowling Green Country Club played 6,853 yards and to a par of 72.Â
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