The Barton Community College men's golf team opened up conference play on Monday with a runner-up finish in the KJCCC Meet No. 1 tournament held at Manhattan's Colbert Hills Golf Course.
In less than ideal golf conditions consisting of cool temperatures, light mist and wind, the No. 15 ranked Cougars held a four stroke lead after the morning round's eighteen holes in firing a 299 team score before the afternoon's 309 slipped Barton into the second placing of the seven team field. The 608 cumulative two round score was good to edge out No. 13 ranked Hutchinson Community College in the standings for the first time in Coach Doug Kaiser era as No. 10 ranked Dodge City Community College fired a second round 293 to capture the title at 596.
Barton had seven golfers entered into the tournament with all placing in the Top-18 of the fifty man field. Leading the Cougars was sophomore Thitipong Homruen in finishing tied for 5th place at 6-over par 150. Homruen, along with fellow Cougar Oscar Elfvin, posted opening 2-over par 74 rounds to join three others in the five-way lead after the morning round. Homruen would card a 76 in the final round to slip in the standing while Elfvin's 78 score fell to an 8th place tie at 8-over 152.
Kelby Titus led the two Cougar individualists entered into the tournament but place just a stroke behind Homruen in earning 7th place. Titus' morning round of 9-over 82 to rank 33rd was put to bed after the afternoon tour of the course as the Great Bend freshman matched the lowest round of the day in firing a 2-under 70 to accumulate a 7-over 151 score.
Kylian Cavdar's rounds of 75 and 77 put the France sophomore in the top ten in tying Elfvin and three others for the 8th spot 8-over 152.
Adrien Bonnet tied for 15th with round of 76 and 69 to finish at 11-over 155.
A pair of freshman rounded out the entries with 12-over 156 scores for 18th place with Ryotaro Tsuji carding consistent 78 rounds while Jacob Roth competed as an individual in following his morning 82 round with the second best Cougar afternoon jump in score behind Titus in firing a 2-over 74.
Complete KJCCC Meet No. 1 Results: Team Individual
Barton's next action will come in two weeks as the Cougars travel to Wichita for the KJCCC Meet No. 2 held on Monday, April 9, at Crestview Country Club.