Golfers Head To Puerto Rico For Annual Event At TPC Dorado Beach

DORADO, Puerto Rico -- After two record-setting rounds on the TPC Dorado Beach Sugarcane Course a year ago, Ball State's battle for a title against UNC Greensboro was cut short by rains that washed out the final round. Beginning Sunday, the Cardinals have another shot at the Dorado course, spurred by the return of senior Kash Bellar who finished fourth in the event in 2024.

At 28 strokes under par through two rounds last year, the Cardinals recorded the lowest 36-hole score, relative to par, in school history. Their second-round 272 was, relative to par, the lowest round in program history.

Individually, Bellar (68-65—133) carded a second-round 65 for the event's lowest round of the day. He was 4-under-par on Sunday and 7-under on Monday, leaving him three strokes behind tournament leader Chris Vandette (130) of Kent State. Bellar, however, missed Ball State's spring opener two weeks ago in The Match Play due to an unfortunate burn accident, and his outing this weekend is his first since last November.

The Cardinals have annually fared well at Dorado Beach, and look forward to continuing momentum from their match play championship in South Florida.

"We are excited to be back in Puerto Rico competing at this event," said 27th-year head coach Mike Fleck. "The guys have done a great job prepping from the time we returned from Florida up to now, and we will have Kash back in the lineup. We've had some success here over the past few years and if we show up ready to go and in the right space mentally, we expect to compete for one of the top spots again this year, in a very solid field of teams."

Play begins Sunday morning with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. Atlantic Time. Sixteen teams will play 18 holes on each of Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The field of teams consists of Ball State and host UNC Greensboro, plus Appalachian State, Army, Bryant, Connecticut, George Mason, Illinois State, James Madison, Loyola-Maryland, Old Dominion, Southern Mississippi, Temple, Valparaiso, Winthrop and Wofford.

The Ball State lineup is similar to that used two weeks ago, with Carter Smith and Braxton Kuntz anchoring the top of the lineup. Ali Khan plays out of the No. 3 position, where he played almost exclusively in the Cardinals' MAC-Championship 2024 campaign, trading places with freshman Gavin Hare who was No. 3 in match play. Bellar makes his return to the lineup in the No. 5 position.

Playing as individuals this week are freshman Happy Gilmore and sophomore transfer Avery Mahoney.

Ball State Lineup for Dorado Beach Collegiate
No. 1 - Carter Smith, Jr., Sellersburg, Ind. | 72.73 over 15 rounds
No. 2 - Braxton Kuntz, Sr., Winnipeg, Manitoba | 72.20 over 15 rounds
No. 3 - Ali Khan, R-Sr., Columbus, Ohio | 73.60 over 15 rounds
No. 4 - Gavin Hare, Fr., Tipton, Ind. | 72.53 over 15 rounds
No. 5 - Kash Bellar, Sr., Peru, Ind. | 74.33 over 15 rounds
Individual - Happy Gilmore, Fr., Bloomington, Ind. | 73.27 over 15 rounds
Individual - Avery Mahoney, So., Burlington, Ontario | 76.67 over 6 rounds

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Golfers Head To Puerto Rico For Annual Event At TPC Dorado Beach

Players Mentioned

Kash Bellar

Happy Gilmore

Gavin Hare

Ali Khan

Braxton Kuntz

Avery Mahoney

Carter Smith

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