Smith and Bellar Pace Cardinals to Championship at Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational

MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State overcame second-round leader Butler to claim the team championship at the Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational, riding the final round success of their first- and second-place individual finishers Carter Smith and Kash Bellar.

The Cardinals, hosting their annual event at Delaware Country Club, trailed the Bulldogs by six strokes through Saturday's second round. But Bellar's three-under-par final round of 67 paced the field and Smith, the leader after two rounds, shot a two-under 68 to retain his lead and capture the individual title ahead of his teammate.

Smith, the reigning Mid-American Conference Golfer of the Week following last week's third-place finish at the Golfweek Collegiate Invitational in Missouri, shot 71-69-68--208 to fire the tournament's only sub-par (-2) scorecard. Bellar raced back from a three-over par 73 in the opening round and a one-over 71 in round two to ascend the leaderboard. Tied in seventh place after two rounds, Bellar birdied six holes Sunday and would have challenged Smith for the title, but for a double-bogey on the 16th hole (73-71-67--211).

Butler played to a second place behind the efforts of Will Horne who finished third out of the event's 75 golfers. Horne was tied for second through Saturday's play and shot 70-72-71--213 overall. His par-70 on Sunday trailed only Smith and Bellar. The Bulldogs' Leo Zurovac finished among a host of players in 18th place overall, slumping on Sunday from a par-70 in the second round that had him tied for fourth place, just behind Horne. Zurovac carded a 222 overall (73-70-79).

Bowling Green finished third in team standings behind the fourth-place finish of Darin Hudak. Following a bogey on the opening hole of the event, Hudak rallied with five birdies to lead the field with a first-round 68. He finished 68-74-72--214, ahead of teammate Tom Bell in seventh place (71-72-74--217).

The champion Cardinals had three players – Griffin Hare (76-73-73), Ali Khan (77-74-71) and Alec Cesare (75-76-71) – all finish among nine players tied in 18th at 222. Playing on his home track with the rest of the Cardinals, Ball State's Braxton Kuntz finished 11th (69-75-75—219) overall while playing individually.

The Cardinals continue their fall schedule Oct. 1-3 at the Badger Invitational, hosted by the University of Wisconsin.

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Smith and Bellar Pace Cardinals to Championship at Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational

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Players Mentioned

Kash Bellar

Griffin Hare

Ali Khan

Braxton Kuntz

Carter Smith

Players Mentioned

Kash Bellar

Griffin Hare

Ali Khan

Braxton Kuntz

Carter Smith