Plenty of former and current members of the Kansas University golf team were doing big things on various golf courses Sunday.
Playing with friends at Lawrence Country Club, Gary Woodland shot a 61 to tie the course record set and repeated several times by former KU All-American Chris Thompson.
“You watch Gary Woodland hit the ball, holy crap, it’s almost physically impossible,” said LCC member Greg Sharp, who shot an 86. “I’m going to go to Vegas and put $500 on him in each one of the majors. He’s going to win one. No doubt. His putting stroke was phenomenal today. I think he’s a good candidate to win the British Open at St. Andrew’s.”
Woodland, who entered the week at No. 28 in the World Golf Rankings, made eagle on the two par-5 holes, Nos. 3 and 12.
Woodland had planned to be in Dublin, Ohio, competing in the Memorial Tournament, but missed the cut after shooting 76-69 at Murifield Village, where Tiger Woods shot a career-worst 85 in the third round.
Thompson fares well in two-week Texas stay
When at home, Thompson plays with the same group that Woodland joined, but was busy elsewhere Sunday. After shooting a 66 in a Monday qualifier, Thompson made his first 2015 Web.com Tour appearance and made the cut. Thompson shot 72-66-67-73 to tie for 44th place at 10-under. Thompson made bogey on four of his final 13 holes Sunday and did the same on three of his first eight holes in Thursday’s first round. Between those two rough patches, he had a remarkable stretch of 51 consecutive holes without losing a stroke to par, carding 37 pars and 14 birdies.
Thompson averaged 292.3 yards per drive in the tourney ,with a long drive of 319 yards. The Web.com Tour is the closest thing to the PGA Tour in the United States. The Adams Tour is a notch below that. The week previous to competing in the Greater Dallas Open, Thompson placed fourth in the Victoria Open, an Adams Tour event in Texas. His 62 on the final day tied a course record at Victoria Country Club.
Hutchens, Rack claim another Four-Ball title
Competing in the Masters Division of the Kansas Four-Ball Championship at Alvamar Public, Chris Hutchens and Mike Rack of Lawrence defeated Zac Burton and Brian Fehr, 1 up, to win their second KGA four-ball title and first since 2012 at Sycamore Ridge.
Hutchens woke up Sunday to a text from Rack that said, “Play like a champion.”
Those words were said back and forth between the partners throughout the tight match.
Hutchens said Rack sensed mounting nerves with the match all square with four holes left and offered sage advice.
“Things were tight, and he just said, ‘This is why we do this. Let’s just embrace the moment and enjoy the day. If we can’t do that, we shouldn’t even play,'” Hutchens recounted.
Rack is masterful at avoiding nerves. He’s a dentist by trade.
In the Four-Ball open division, Chase Hanna of KU and University of South Florida’s Joseph Winslow defeated Alex Graf and Jared Burns, 1 up, to win the title.