Cougar golf rallies to season opening victory

Trailing by six and battling the second day of extreme hot and humid conditions, the Barton Community College men's golf team rallied to a one stroke victory in the Coffeyville Community College Invitational held Monday and Tuesday at Adams Municipal Golf Course in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.  Led by the 1-2 punch of the Cougars' top two golfers, Barton opened its 2016 season defeating eight other teams with a 607 score to edge fellow Jayhawk Conference member Kansas City Kansas Community College's 608.  

Thitipong Homruen made an impressive collegiate debut conquering the course with a 1-under 143 to edge out fellow Cougar Jakkapat Horsangchai by one stroke.  The duo were the only ones in the fifty-seven man field to play the first day under par with Homruen firing a 2-under 70 with Horsangchai one stroke behind at 1-under.  Each completed the second day of competition at 1-over to take the top two spots with Seminole State College's Kevin Teems on the doorsteps with a 1-over par total of 145.

Like Horsangchai, Seokhun Kang also had a nice start to his sophomore season finishing in a tie for 10th following his 79 opening round with a 76 to finish at 155.

Rounding out the first of two Barton teams entered in the tournament, Christian Van Nover shot and 84 and 81 to finish at 165 while Calin Meyer bounced back from an opening 91 with an 82 to total a 173.

Firing a 5-over 77 in Monday's first round, Riley Kane slipped with an 85 on day two but still led the second team of Cougars with a 162.  To the contrary, Jaron Kellerman made a last day charge following his 84 with an 80 to finish two strokes behind while freshman Koy Holden strung consistent rounds of 85 and 84 in cracking 170 with a 129.

Jacob Uhrmacher also put together consistent rounds in his collegiate debut recording an 85 and 84 for a 173 while Dakota Soukup opened up on fire with an 81 before running into day two troubles carding a 95 for a 176 total.

Great Bend native Tristan Titus was one of two Barton golfers competing as an individual, finishing with a 175 after rounds of 83 and 92 with Ellinwood freshman Connor Ewing carding rounds of 90 and 95 finishing the tournament at 185.

Barton will be back on the links next Monday as the Cougars travel to Junction City, Kansas, for the 36-hole one day KCK Invitational held at Rolling Meadows Golf Course.