Photo by: Jack Eads, Ball State Athletics
Freshmen Shine for Cardinals in First Round of Badger Invitational
September 29, 2024 | Men's Golf
MADISON, Wisc. – On a defending conference champion team brimming with senior leadership, it was freshmen Gavin Hare and Happy Gilmore who paced the Ball State men's golf team in Sunday's first round of the Badger Invitational. Hare, in fact, playing as an individual and not counting on Ball State's team score, stands in an eight-way tie for third place among 90 competitors overall, firing a 3-under par 69 with a team-high seven birdies. He shot par or better on 14of 18 holes and enters Monday's second round just two strokes out of second place and four behind first-round leader Felix Krammer of Northern Illinois. Gilmore, playing in the No. 4 spot for Ball State who stands 13th in team standings, paced the Cardinals' starting lineup with a par 72 and four birdies.
With Hare's 69 not counting in team standings and Gilmore sitting tied for 23rd after the opening 18 holes, Ball State's veterans were led by Braxton Kuntz and Ali Khan whose 5-over par 77 is currently tied in 62nd. The tournament is being conducted at par-72, 7,286-yard University Ridge Golf Course at the University of Wisconsin.
"I can't say enough about how great of a round Gavin posted today," said Cardinals coach Mike Fleck. "Even though we didn't get to see him much, I was so excited following the live scoring - and to cap off his round with a bounce-back birdie on his last hole was impressive to see. Additionally, Happy was solid with a great closing nine of -3 to get his round back to even par for the day. We got a glimpse of what the future can look like with these two talented freshmen. We need to focus on coming out strong tomorrow."
Hare was consistent throughout. After bogeys on two of his first five holes at #12 and #14, the younger brother of Cardinals' senior Griffin Hare fired 4-under par over the remaining 13 holes, with birdies on #15, #17, #2, #3, #7 and #9 after the Cardinals' start on the 10th tee. A bogey on #8 kept him from standing alone in third place. Meanwhile, Gilmore paced Ball State's team scoring in his first collegiate start. He was +3 on the back nine holes after the Cardinals' start on #10. But he birdied the second, fourth and sixth holes while parring the rest of the front nine to pull even after 18 holes.
Ball State (304) enters Tuesday's second round tied with Winthrop (304) at +16 overall, one stroke behind VCU (303) and nine strokes behind Nebraska (295) and Southern Illinois (205), tied in 10th place. Host Wisconsin (281) leads the 16-team field, trailed by Mid-American Conference rival Northern Illinois (282) in second place.
Tee times on Monday begin at 10:30 a.m. ET, with the final round of the 54-hole tournament slated for Tuesday.
Ball State Individual Results, through Round 1
Individual Gavin Hare (69): 34-35—69 (-3, 3rd)
No. 4 Happy Gilmore (72): 33-39—72 (E, 23rd)
No. 2 Ali Khan (77): 39-38—77 (+5, 62nd)
No. 1 Braxton Kuntz (77): 38-39—77 (+5, 62nd)
No. 3 Kash Bellar (78): 39-39—78 (+6, 71st)
No. 5 Carter Smith (78): 36-42—78 (+6, 71st)
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With Hare's 69 not counting in team standings and Gilmore sitting tied for 23rd after the opening 18 holes, Ball State's veterans were led by Braxton Kuntz and Ali Khan whose 5-over par 77 is currently tied in 62nd. The tournament is being conducted at par-72, 7,286-yard University Ridge Golf Course at the University of Wisconsin.
"I can't say enough about how great of a round Gavin posted today," said Cardinals coach Mike Fleck. "Even though we didn't get to see him much, I was so excited following the live scoring - and to cap off his round with a bounce-back birdie on his last hole was impressive to see. Additionally, Happy was solid with a great closing nine of -3 to get his round back to even par for the day. We got a glimpse of what the future can look like with these two talented freshmen. We need to focus on coming out strong tomorrow."
Hare was consistent throughout. After bogeys on two of his first five holes at #12 and #14, the younger brother of Cardinals' senior Griffin Hare fired 4-under par over the remaining 13 holes, with birdies on #15, #17, #2, #3, #7 and #9 after the Cardinals' start on the 10th tee. A bogey on #8 kept him from standing alone in third place. Meanwhile, Gilmore paced Ball State's team scoring in his first collegiate start. He was +3 on the back nine holes after the Cardinals' start on #10. But he birdied the second, fourth and sixth holes while parring the rest of the front nine to pull even after 18 holes.
Ball State (304) enters Tuesday's second round tied with Winthrop (304) at +16 overall, one stroke behind VCU (303) and nine strokes behind Nebraska (295) and Southern Illinois (205), tied in 10th place. Host Wisconsin (281) leads the 16-team field, trailed by Mid-American Conference rival Northern Illinois (282) in second place.
Tee times on Monday begin at 10:30 a.m. ET, with the final round of the 54-hole tournament slated for Tuesday.
Ball State Individual Results, through Round 1
Individual Gavin Hare (69): 34-35—69 (-3, 3rd)
No. 4 Happy Gilmore (72): 33-39—72 (E, 23rd)
No. 2 Ali Khan (77): 39-38—77 (+5, 62nd)
No. 1 Braxton Kuntz (77): 38-39—77 (+5, 62nd)
No. 3 Kash Bellar (78): 39-39—78 (+6, 71st)
No. 5 Carter Smith (78): 36-42—78 (+6, 71st)
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