Ball State University Athletics
Photo by: Michael Hickey
Kuntz Among Contenders After Round 1 at Bryan National Collegiate
September 08, 2024 | Men's Golf
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Braxton Kuntz shot 1-under-par 71 through 18 holes in the first round of the Bryan National Collegiate on Sunday, pacing Ball State in its first tournament of the 2024-25 men's golf season.
Kuntz sits in a seventh-place tie after his first trip over the par-72, 7,276-yard track at Bryan Park near Greensboro. He is five strokes off the lead and one of 14 golfers with a sub-par round in the Cardinals' first competition since closing the 2024 spring in the NCAA's Chapel Hill Regional only an hour away.
Kuntz is four strokes ahead of teammate Kash Bellar, whose 3-over-par 75 puts him in 33rd place. Carter Smith (76) and Ali Khan (76) each are one stroke behind.
"Overall, we had a pretty uninspiring team round today outside of Braxton," said veteran coach Mike Fleck. "I'm guessing we were near the bottom of the field in total birdies on a course that presents a lot of opportunities with perfect weather conditions. We've got to bounce back and compete the next two rounds in a big way, which I think we will do."
Ball State enters Monday's second round in seventh place at 10-over-par (298), five stroke behind state rival IU Indy (293) and William & Mary (293), tied in fifth. Host UNC Greensboro (279) paces the field in first place, ahead of High Point (287), Boston College (288) and Delaware (290).
Tee times on Monday begin at 8:30 a.m., with the final round of the 54-hole tournament slated for Tuesday.
Ball State Individual Results, through Round 1
No. 1 Braxton Kuntz (71): 36-35—71 (-1, 7th)
No. 5 Kash Bellar (75): 37-38—75 (+3, 33rd)
No. 3 Carter Smith (76): 34-39—73 (+4, 42nd)
No. 2 Ali Khan (76): 38-36—74 (+4, 42nd)
No. 4 Avery Mahoney (79): 41-38—79 (+7, 59th)
Individual Griffin Hare (78): 42-36—78 (+6, 53rd)
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Kuntz sits in a seventh-place tie after his first trip over the par-72, 7,276-yard track at Bryan Park near Greensboro. He is five strokes off the lead and one of 14 golfers with a sub-par round in the Cardinals' first competition since closing the 2024 spring in the NCAA's Chapel Hill Regional only an hour away.
Kuntz is four strokes ahead of teammate Kash Bellar, whose 3-over-par 75 puts him in 33rd place. Carter Smith (76) and Ali Khan (76) each are one stroke behind.
"Overall, we had a pretty uninspiring team round today outside of Braxton," said veteran coach Mike Fleck. "I'm guessing we were near the bottom of the field in total birdies on a course that presents a lot of opportunities with perfect weather conditions. We've got to bounce back and compete the next two rounds in a big way, which I think we will do."
Ball State enters Monday's second round in seventh place at 10-over-par (298), five stroke behind state rival IU Indy (293) and William & Mary (293), tied in fifth. Host UNC Greensboro (279) paces the field in first place, ahead of High Point (287), Boston College (288) and Delaware (290).
Tee times on Monday begin at 8:30 a.m., with the final round of the 54-hole tournament slated for Tuesday.
Ball State Individual Results, through Round 1
No. 1 Braxton Kuntz (71): 36-35—71 (-1, 7th)
No. 5 Kash Bellar (75): 37-38—75 (+3, 33rd)
No. 3 Carter Smith (76): 34-39—73 (+4, 42nd)
No. 2 Ali Khan (76): 38-36—74 (+4, 42nd)
No. 4 Avery Mahoney (79): 41-38—79 (+7, 59th)
Individual Griffin Hare (78): 42-36—78 (+6, 53rd)
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