Birdie Fest: Racers Take 6-Shot Lead Into Final Round At TSU Big Blue Intercollegiate

Photo by: Dave Winder-Murray State Athletics

Birdie Fest: Racers Take 6-Shot Lead Into Final Round At TSU Big Blue Intercollegiate

4/12/2021 7:41:00 PM | Men's Golf

Avery Edwards and Austin Knight shoot a combined 6-under par at the Hermitage Golf Club in Nashville, Tenn.

The Murray State men's golf team carded their best 36-hole day of the spring season with a 1-under-par 567 at the TSU Big Blue Intercollegiate at Hermitage Golf Club in Nashville, Tennessee.

After a morning round of 288, the Racers posted a 279 in the afternoon to get a six-shot lead on second place UT Martin (573). Tennessee Tech (579), Missouri State (580), Belmont (581), Austin Peay (585) and Evansville (586) made up the top-7 in the field of 11 squads.

Murray State's Avery Edwards and Austin Knight shared third place in the field of 63 players, two shots behind leader Scott Sparks of Detroit Mercy. Edwards had scores of 71-68=138, while Knight posted rounds of 70-69=139. UDM's Sparks had scores of 70-67=137. Other Racer scores and places included Quinn Eaton in 10^th place on scores of 72-71=143 and Carson Holmes in 22^nd place on rounds of 75-71=143. Connor Coombs was in 39^th position on scores of 77-73=150. Dalton Bagwell is in the event as an individual and was in 39^th place on rounds of 74-76=150.

Simply put, the Racers like to play the Hermitage. Coming into the 2021 event, the Racers have finished second twice, plus a third and fourth place showing since 2016. In 2019, Edwards carded his career-low round as a Racer with a final round 66 that nearly netted the medalist title. Austin Knight won this event in 2018 with scores of 71-72-69=212 and placed sixth in 2017. MSU's Jared Gosser had a second place finish here in 2016.

The Hermitage is playing to a par of 71 and a length of 7,020 yards.

The final round is set for 8:30 a.m. Tuesday in Nashville.

Coach Eddie Hunt announced his retirement at the end of the spring season after 20 years on the job. He ends his run with the Racers this week in the TSU event and the OVC Championship (April 25-27) in Muscle Shoals, Ala.

About Murray State Men's Golf
The Racers' program is in its 64th season overall and head Coach Eddie Hunt is in his 20th as the second coach in program history. Hunt took over the program in 2001. The founder of the Racer team was Coach Buddy Hewitt in 1959. Hewitt is a Murray State Hall of Famer, inducted in 1990. He was part of the famous Murray State football team that played in the 1948 Tangerine Bowl. The Racers have won Ohio Valley Conference championships four times (1971, 1987, 1991 and 2010). Hewitt won the first three titles and Hunt's team won it in 2010 as their most recent OVC championship. MSU has produced 11 all-time OVC Golfer of the Year winners: Bill Graham (1962, 1963), Ron Acree (1965), Chris Piggot (1971), Chris Carlson (1987), Adam Grogan (1996), Brandon Henson (2001), Nick Newcomb (2010), Cameron Carrico (2011) and Patrick Newcomb (2012, 2013).

About Murray State Athletics
Located in Murray, Kentucky, the athletics department at Murray State University is a member of NCAA D-I and plays in the Football Championship Subdivision. The Racers have 15 programs including men's teams for baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf and women's teams for basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball. MSU also has a rifle program that is coed. The Racers are one of the founding members of the Ohio Valley Conference from its beginnings in 1948.

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