The UK men’s golf team battled both the elements and a highly-ranked Auburn team to a second-place finish in the 2011 UK Bluegrass Invitational at the University Club of Kentucky’s Big Blue Course on Sunday.

The Cats held a one-stroke lead at the end of the second round and an eight-stroke lead heading into the back nine, but finished with a 24-over-par three-round score of 876, eight strokes behind tournament champion Auburn.

Auburn, who outlasted 17 other teams from across the country to win this tournament, is currently the No. 6 team in the NCAA, according to the Golfweek/Sagarin rankings.

“We had it rolling for a while, but just didn’t finish it off on the back nine,” UK head golf coach Brian Craig said. “We will learn from it and get better.”

Craig went with a rotation consisting of two freshmen, Stephen Powers and Cody Martin, two sophomores, Seth Blann and Chase Parker, and one junior, Mads Kristensen, for this tournament.

“We are definitely a young team,” Craig said, “which makes it exciting for the future.”

Powers led the Cats with a 2-over-par score of 215 for the tournament. He also completed a team season-best score of 65, 6-under-par in the second round this weekend. He capped off that round with birdies on the final three holes.

Although the Cats were happy to play at home a week before the conference championship, it was a very demanding course over the weekend. Play on Saturday was halted for several hours due to inclement weather.

Sunday’s play featured wind gusts close to 40 mph.

Craig said the team loves battling the elements.

“We were hoping the wind would blow,” Craig said. “We play in the wind out here all the time.”

The wind did seem to have an impact on the back nine, however, where the Cats lost their 8-stroke lead.

“We had a few disasters,” said Craig.

The tournament, which was the fourth annual UK Bluegrass Invitational, ended regular season play for the Cats.

Next up for the team is a trip to St. Simons Island, Ga., to play in the Southeastern Conference Championship this weekend.

“Sea Island is a great place,” Stephen Powers said. “It will be fun to go down there and compete.”