Neither the UK men’s nor women’s team will be heading back to Lexington with a team victory from the Blessings Collegiate Invitational, but the Cats will return with a champion in tow.  

Despite a four-over-par (76) third round and some drama over the final two holes, Alex Goff was able to take home his first collegiate victory by winning the men’s individual portion of the tournament. The sophomore finished with a 210 (-6), a new career-best score.

Goff entered the final two holes with a seven-stroke lead, but things got testy from there. He took a penalty to use a drop after an errant tee-shot on 17 – leading to a double-bogey – and accidentally played the wrong ball out of a bunker on 18, which caused him to end with a seven.

He’d end up winning by two, as Tennessee’s Hunter Wolcott had a par putt on 18 roll out and an official had previously entered one of Wilcott’s scores on a previous hole incorrectly.

“In all of my life, I’ve never seen anything like that,” UK coach Brian Craig said. “But, I’m so proud of Alex.”

The men’s team turned in their worst performance of the tournament in round three, as they shot a 308 (20-over-par,) leaving them with a final score of 21-over par. The round was the worst of any team on the last day. The performance dropped the Cats from third place to eighth.

Allen Hamilton, a senior out of Louisville, provided the men’s team its best score of the day at three-over-par.  

The women’s team found middle ground in their last round today, finishing with a 306 (18-over-par,) to complete the tournament at 48-over-par. The final day didn’t pan out as well for the Cats as round two, but the score was still an improvement on day one.

Laney Frye was back at the top of the pack in round three for the Wildcats, as she shot even-par. Frye got into a groove in the middle of her round, as she went on a 12-hole streak without a bogey. She finished the tournament tied for sixth in individual score with a three-over-par.  

Jensen Castle followed up on an even-par performance in round two with a 4-over-par (76). She and teammate Marissa Wenzler finished tied for 31st in individual scoring (+13). 

The women’s team finished in eighth place as well, which is where they started the last round. They finished 48 strokes behind the winner Arkansas, who finished the tournament at even-par. 

“We are very thankful to get back on the road and compete,” UK head coach Golda Borst said. “We had some higher hopes, some higher expectations for this first event, but given everything we’ve gone through – the format being different and all the challenges that we faced and how we attempted to prepare for this playing in fivesomes – it just feels really good to be back.” 

The women will be back in action first, as they will compete in The Ally at Old Waverly Golf Club in Starkville, Mississippi beginning on October 19th. 

The men will return soon after on October 25th, in the Legends Collegiate Invitational at Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tennessee.