Ward gunning for another title

By J-W Staff Reports     Jul 20, 2004

? Kansas University senior golfer Kevin Ward will try to add yet another trophy to his summer collection when he tees off today in the 94th Kansas Amateur Match Play Championship at Shadow Glen Golf Club.

He teamed with KU teammate Gary Woodland to capture the Kansas Golf Assn. Fourball Championship at Alvamar in June. Next, Ward cruised to the 96th Missouri Amateur Championship title three weeks ago in Weldon Springs, Mo.

A victory at the Kansas Amateur, which runs from today through Sunday, would complete Ward’s summer trifecta.

A field of 138 players will play in the tournament. All will play 18 holes today and 18 more Wednesday, after which the field will be whittled down to the top 64 players. Eighteen holes of match play will be used the rest of the way until Sunday’s final round, which will consist of 36 holes.

Ward will not be the only player in the tournament field with ties to Lawrence. Nine Lawrence residents and 18 current or former KU players help compose the field.

In addition to Ward, current KU players Woodland, Pete Krsnich, Barrett Martens, John Newcomer, Jason Sigler, Luke Trammell and KU assistant coach Roy Edwards tee off today.

Former Jayhawk Casey Harbour, the 2003 tournament champ, will not participate in this year’s Amateur. Last year’s runner-up Jay Hepler, however, will participate.

Hepler, an Overland Park resident who played at Kansas in 1994, also has had a stellar summer. He and former Jayhawk Tyler Shelton — another favorite for the Amateur title — finished second behind Ward and Woodland in the Fourball Championship.

Michael Rack is the highest seeded Lawrence resident in the field. He will tee off in the fifth group at 8:40 a.m. today with ex-Jayhawk John Hess and Hutchinson resident Kirk Holmberg.

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