WVU secured its all-time best Big 12 finish on Wednesday, placing fifth of 14 teams at the Big 12 Men’s Golf Championship in Trinity, Texas.
Since reinstating the men’s golf program in 2015, WVU never placed above ninth overall at the conference championship. Now, coach Sean Covich’s team has made it over the hump to finish fifth in the Big 12.
Senior Jackson Davenport, juniors Todd Duncan, Max Green, and Pierce Grieve, and sophomore Kaleb Wilson traveled to Trinity Monday for the three-day event. After playing two rounds on Monday, WVU stood at +12 and in a three-way tie for eighth with Kansas and Kansas State.
Day two changed that dramatically, as the Mountaineers, led by a 68 (-4) from Duncan, shot eight-under-par and jumped to fifth place at four-over-par total. The success came without a stand-out Mountaineer in the individual standings.
Max Green led WVU in 19th place at +2 after Tuesday thanks to his consistent play, but the junior had not posted a team-low in any of the three rounds. The all-around team effort carried WVU’s momentum, though, and that continued Wednesday.
In the Championship’s final round on Wednesday, West Virginia stayed as close as possible to an even finish, ending its last round at Whispering Pines Golf Club one stroke over par. Three of WVU’s four scorers golfed pars in the round.
With his third par in a row, Green finished +2 for the Big 12 Championship and tied for 18th among all individuals. Duncan was just one stroke behind, with rounds of 77-74-68-72=291 (+3).
In his fourth straight Big 12 Championship appearance, Jackson Davenport shined with a +5 overall despite an 80-stroke round one. His finish was eight strokes better than his previous best at the Big 12 Championship.
Louisville transfer Pierce Grieve posted WVU’s only par in round one and finished with rounds of 72-80-70-73=295 (+7) to tie for 39th in his first Big 12 Championship appearance. Kaleb Wilson improved from +19 in his freshman season’s Big 12 Championship to +12 this week with rounds of 74-74-77-75=300 (+12).
WVU’s team consistency kept the Mountaineers firm at fifth overall, two strokes behind Baylor and two strokes ahead of Texas Tech and Houston, who tied for sixth. The Texas Longhorns won the Big 12 Championship after a phenomenal -12 fourth round and -25 total.
NCAA Men’s Golf continues with regional competition from May 13 to May 15. Whether or not West Virginia will participate will be announced at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1 on the Golf Channel.
Photo from WVU Men’s Golf
