After setting itself back with a team score of 11-over-par (299) in the first round, the Kent State men’s golf team had the third-best combined score in the second and third rounds to finish tied for sixth in a pool of 11 teams at the Canadian Collegiate with a score of even-par (864).

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed with how we played, but there were a lot of good things that we can pull from it,” Men’s Golf Coach Jon Mills said. “With it being a young team, each week you’re going to learn more and more.” 

The Flashes had different contributors each round, but the team’s steady hand was sophomore Isaiah Ibit, who finished the tournament in third on the individual leaderboard with a score of 12-under-par (204) in his home country.

Ibit was named Mid-American Golfer of the week for his dominant performance. It’s his third time receiving the award.

“He’s a very competitive guy,” Mills said. “He’s one of those guys that doesn’t like to lose. He drives the ball really well, so he was playing from good positions all the time, which will obviously help.”

The Flashes’ next best score went to Barberton native and sophomore Nolan Haynes, who came in with a score of even-par (216) despite not playing his best in the third round. Haynes earned a top-20 finish, landing himself in 18th.

Ibit and Haynes were the only players to finish with a score of even or under par.

Round One

Despite the first round being the worst as a team for KSU, it was Ibit’s best round, where he recorded a score of eight-under-par (64). However, outside of Ibit, everyone was over par in the first round, resulting in the 11-over-par (299) team score to place the Flashes ninth on the leaderboard.

“They might have put too much pressure on themselves — I can’t pinpoint it,” Mills said. “They obviously answered the next day and played really good golf, so it kind of gives you a glimpse of how good they can be, but we have to be more consistent and not give so many shots away, and execute simple shots.” 

Ibit’s first round performance was the lowest score of his career, and led all golfers after the opening round. He was two strokes away from tying the men’s golf team’s lowest round score of all time at 62. It was set by Brett Cairns in 2010.

Haynes was the team’s second-best shooter in the first round with a score of one-over-par (73). 

Round Two

In the second round, the Flashes erased their poor first-round score and were able to get themselves all the way to a total team score of two-under-par (574).

After playing the fifth-worst round of golf by any team in the tournament in the opening round, KSU tied Notre Dame for the best round of golf by any team in the Canadian Collegiate, with both schools recording a second-round score of 13-under-par (275). The Irish went on to win the tournament with a score of 35-under-par (829).

“I think they were a little bit more relaxed,” Mills said. “ I think it’s always a bit easier to play better when you don’t play so well in one round. You can bounce back more relaxed, but I think we have to get in the mindset to start and come out ready to go. That’s something that’s going to be a focus going forward.”

The Flashes’ top three players in the second round all recorded scores that were under par, led by freshman Liam Curtis, who shot six-under-par (66). Haynes had his best score in the second round, shooting five-under-par (67), and despite it not being Ibit’s best day, he still shot two-under-par (70).

Round Three

The impressive second-round performance brought the team from ninth place to tied for sixth, and the Flashes finished in that spot after a team performance of two-over-par (290) in the final round.

Ibit was back on top of the Flashes’ scorecard with another score of two-under-par (70). He was followed by freshman Christoffer Leuenhagen, who had a score of one-under-par (71).

When it was all said and done, the team walked out of Canada at even par (864), tied for sixth with the Michigan State Spartans and ahead of the only other MAC team in the field, the Miami RedHawks, whom the Flashes trailed until the final round.

Up Next

The Flashes’ next tournament is at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas, from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1. 

The team played on the course last season and struggled, finishing in seventh place out of 10 teams. Mills is hoping for improvement this time around. 

“I think there will be a lot of focus on playing smart golf,” he said. “We’re going to play down in Arkansas, so we know what that course is going to be like, so it’s important to have good ball-striking. Obviously, the short game is always important, but there will definitely be an emphasis on that.” 

Demetri Manousos is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].