Underclassmen Propel Lions Into Tie for Fifth Place in Kepler Intercollegiate

11857531.jpeg
Kepler Intercollegiate
DATESApril 9-10, 2016
LOCATIONOhio State Golf Club Scarlet Course; Columbus, Ohio (Par 71, 7,455 yards)
SCORING & INFOTeam Leaderboard | Individual Leaderboard
FIELDBowling Green, Dayton, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Liberty, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State (host), Penn State, Southern Illinois, UAB, UNLV, West Virginia and Wright State.

April 9, 2016

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The 29th ranked Penn State men's golf team finished a weather delayed round one of the Kepler Intercollegiate in a tie for fifth place with Kent State on the par 71, 7,455-yard Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio.

The Nittany Lion team shot a combined 15-over 299 on a day in which the original tee times were pushed back four hours to 2:30 p.m. ET.

The Lions were led by sophomore Cole Miller (New Tripoli, Pa.) who sits in a 14-way tie for ninth place after carding a 73. Freshman Charles Huntzinger (Duluth, Ga.) finished the first 18 holes one stroke behind Miller with a 3-over 74 putting him in a tie for 23rd. Seniors JD Dornes (Lancaster, Pa.), Chris Houston (Gilford, N.H.), and Geoff Vartelas (Cromwell, Conn.) concluded their first rounds with a 75 (T32), 77 (T48), and 78 (T53) respectively.

UNLV finds itself alone in first on the team leaderboard after a 5-over 289 followed by host Ohio State two strokes back. Michigan State and UAB are tied for third with 293 four strokes behind the leader before Penn State and Kent State round out the top five at 299.

UNLV's Shintaro Ban and UAB's Taylor Eyster find themselves tied atop the individual leaderboard after carding the only under par rounds of the day at one-under. Tee-k Kelly from Ohio State shot an even par round to stand alone in third with five players right behind him at one over.

Round two will begin at 10:30 a.m. ET with Penn State paired up with Kent State, Maryland, and Michigan.

Pos.Team/Player (seed)Rd 1Rd 2Total+ / -
T5Penn State299299+15
T9Cole Miller (3)7373+2
T23Charles Huntzinger (2)7474+3
T32JD Dornes (1)7575+4
T48Chris Houston (4)7777+6
T53Geoff Vartelas (5)7878+7