Tigers Close Play at Opening Tournament of Season

ROCKY FACE, Ga. - The young Memphis Tigers men's golf squad completed its season opener over a strong field at the Carpet Capital Collegiate on Sunday afternoon (September 11).

The Tigers carded a three-round total of 900, 36 strokes over par. Nationally ranked Virginia won the event with an 833, six strokes better than the remainder of the field.

For the second straight day, it was the team's only senior in the field, Sydney Chung, that paced the Tigers. Opening on the 10th hole on the par-72, 7,012-yard course, Chung had three consecutive pars to open the round, before two straight bogeys put him at two strokes over par. Following another par, he carded his only double-bogey of the round on the par-four 16th hole. He answered quickly with a birdie on the 17th hole; however, closed with a bogey to put him at four strokes over par at the turn.

He started strong in his second nine set of holes, with two pars and a birdie over the first three holes, and another two pars followed by a birdie to put him two strokes over par. Over his last three holes he had two bogeys and a birdie to close the round with a 75, three strokes over par, and tying for 45th in the field.

Kevin Lee started strong with five pars in his first six holes, standing at one stroke over par; however, a bogey, double bogey, and birdie put him at three strokes over par at the turn. Over his back nine he had a birdie, six pars and two bogeys to close the round at four strokes over par, and tied for 57th in the deep field.

Camden Backel, playing in his first tournament as a Tiger, was one stroke under par through five holes and even through seven, until he recorded a double bogey on the par-four 17th hole. A birdie to end the front nine negated the damage of the hole before, as he went into the turn one stroke over par. He opened the back nine with two straight bogeys, and then followed with four consecutive pars, as he sat at three strokes over par through 15 holes. He stumbled at the end of his round, however, with two bogeys and a triple bogey, ending at eight strokes over par for the day, and tied for 64th in the field.

Freshman Nick Giles had a birdie on his opening hole, and stood at even par through four holes, as he bogeyed his second, fifth, and eighth holes of the day to stand at two strokes over par at the turn. After an 11th-hole bogey, he added four more pars. He struggled to close his round, as he carded a bogey on his 16th hole and double bogey on his 17th hole, before closing strong with a birdie on the par-five ninth hole, putting him at five strokes over for the day, and 67th in the field.

Mikko Kauniskangas recorded his first second, third, and fourth birdies of the tournament on his second, 14th, and 18th holes of the round, turning in his lowest score of the tournament at four strokes over par, placing 77th overall.

Memphis returns to action on September 18-20 when the team competes in the Franklin American Mortgage Intercollegiate at the Grove, hosted by Middle Tennessee State.

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Players Mentioned

Camden Backel

Sydney Chung

Nick Giles

Mikko Kauniskangas

Kevin Lee

University of Memphis Athletics