KU men’s golf team tied for 10th after two rounds of NCAA championship in Arizona

Gary Bedore
·2 min read

The University of Kansas men’s golf team is tied for 10th place after two rounds of the NCAA championships at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Led by senior Callum Bruce, who is tied for ninth overall (four shots behind leader Cole Sherwood of Vanderbilt), the Jayhawks shot 17-over-par as a team Saturday in Round 2.

KU has a team score of (23-over-par) 583 through two rounds, good for a tie for 10th with Georgia. No. 1 ranked Oklahoma leads the field at 2-over-par 562.

Bruce, a graduate transfer from San Diego State, shot an even-par 70 Saturday to go with his first-round score of 71 on Friday.

“It was hard out there, every shot, every putt, it was an absolute grind,” KU coach Jamie Bermel said in a news release. “Not a lot of birdies, couldn’t get too close to pins. But what a round from Callum Bruce today. He kind of saved us.”

Entering Sunday’s third round (the last round to feature all 30 teams as the field will be cut to 15), KU’s Ben Sigel is tied for 65th at 8-over-par 148. KU’s Luke Kluver is tied for 85th at 10-over-par 150; Harry Hillier tied for 97th at 11-over-par 151; William Duquette tied at 109th at 12-over-par 152.

Hillier, co-leader after the first day, shot 83 on Saturday to go with his first-round 68.

After Sunday’s third round, the top 15 teams will play Monday, with the top eight advancing to match play, which begins Tuesday.

Bruce’s 70 on Saturday tied for the best round of any player in the field that teed off during the afternoon portion of the event. The Banff, Scotland native birdied his first two holes, teeing off on No. 10. After bogeys at 14 and 18, Bruce fell to 1-over on his round when he bogeyed No. 3. He birdied the par-five fourth hole.

He then parred his final five holes to shoot 70.

Bruce became ill at the NCAA Regional and was removed from KU’s lineup after the first round of that tournament. His status for NCAAs was questionable entering Friday’s round.

“It really wasn’t until late Thursday night that we made the decision to put Callum in,” Bermel said. “He’s responded great.”