The Murray State Racers came home with third place at the 70th playing of the Ohio Valley Conference Men’s Golf Championship at the Shoals Golf Club in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
The Racers posted scores of 285-288-287=860 to secure third place and post the best score in the 18 seasons for Racer head coach Eddie Hunt. MSU’s first round 285 was their best round in the event since a 284 in 2012.
Murray State finished behind second place Belmont (847) and champion Jacksonville State (836). Austin Peay (864) was fourth, while Eastern Kentucky, Tennessee Tech and SIUE shared fifth place at 868.
MSU’s Avery Edwards became the Racers’ first OVC All-Tournament finisher since Patrick Newcomb in 2013 when he placed in a share of fifth on scores of 71-68-72 for a total of 5-under-par 211. Edwards was fifth in the field with 12 birdies in 54 holes.
Austin Knight placed 14th on scores of 72-71-72=215, while Gabe Wheeler played his final event with the Racers as the senior from Sikeston, Missouri birdied his final hole when he knocked it close at the par-3 18th hole with a four iron and made the putt for a score of two. Wheeler finished with scores of 71-74-72=217. Freshman Dalton Bagwell placed 24th on scores of 72-75-71=218, while Connor Coombs placed 34th on rounds of 71-78-74=223.
Tournament Notes
Avery Edwards earned a spot in the top-5 and the OVC All-Tournament Team. He’s MSU’s first since 2013 when Patrick Newcomb on the individual title.
2019 OVC All-Tournament Team
Jesus Montenegro, Jacksonville State 67 68 69 204 -12
Quim Vidal Mora, Jacksonville State 67 73 67 207 -9
Noah Trenkler, Belmont
68 74 66 208 -8
Billy Basham, Eastern Kentucky 66 73 71 210 -6
Avery
Edwards, Murray State 71 68 72 211 -5
Maximo Portais, Jacksonville
State 72 70 69 211 -5
Chase Korte, Austin Peay State 69 73 69 211 -5
The Racers ranked second in the field with 51 birdies (JSU was the leader with 60) and MSU was fifth with 172 pars (EKU was first with 184).
The field of 55 players had a harder day in the final round with an average score of 74.15. The average in round two was 74.38 and 73.80 in round one. The average score for the three rounds was 74.11 The Fighting Joe course played to a par of 72 and a length of 7,258 yards. The OVC returns here in 2020 when the first four teams will advance to an extra day of match play to decide the OVC title.
70th OVC Men’s Golf Championship The Shoals GC – Fighting Joe Course
Muscle Shoals, Ala. April 23, 2019
Final Scores
Jacksonville State 277 282 277 836 -28
Belmont 275
289 283 847 -17
Murray State 285 288 287 860 -4
Austin Peay State 283
286 295 864 E
T5 Eastern Kentucky 286 291 291 868 +4
T5 Tennessee Tech
292 291 285 868 +4
T5 SIU Edwardsville 287 289 292 868 +4
Morehead State
295 285 291 871 +7
UT Martin 303 294 291 888 +24
Tennessee State 301
312 300 913 +49
Eastern Illinois 304 303 318 925 +61
Murray State 285 288 287 860
T5 Avery Edwards
(3) 71 68 72 211
T14 Austin Knight (1) 72
71 72 215
T22 Gabe Wheeler (2) 71 74 72 217
T24 Dalton
Bagwell (5) 72 75 71 218
T34 Connor Coombs (4) 71
78 74 223