APSU Men’s Golf
Clarksville, TN – Austin Peay State University men’s golf team has been picked fourth in a preseason poll of the Ohio Valley Conference coaches, the league office announced Wednesday.
Jacksonville State was chosen as the league favorite, earning seven of the nine first-place votes for 63 points, while defending champion Murray State (55) and Eastern Kentucky (50) were next. The Govs (41), UT Martin (37), Eastern Illinois (24), Tennessee State (20), Morehead State (19) and Tennessee Tech rounded out the poll.
![APSU Men's Golf. (Photo Courtesy: Austin Peay Sports Information) APSU Men's Golf. (Photo Courtesy: Austin Peay Sports Information)](https://www.clarksvilleonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/governors-mens-golf-6-480x307.jpg)
“It’s going to be fun,” head coach Kirk Kayden said. “GreyStone is place the guys have played and have some experience there. Hopefully our tough schedule in the spring will relate to good golf in the end. There are some good teams in our league. Jacksonville State had an incredible fall. Murray State and Eastern Kentucky have quality teams as well. It should be interesting.”
Austin Peay played a challenging fall schedule with their best team finish – third place – coming at the Telich/Sunlife Financial, played at Canterbury Golf Club. Head coach Kirk Kayden’s mantra to put his team on the best available golf courses has paid off in the past and this year has been no different.
“I think it’s exciting that we get to do this preseason poll,” head coach Kirk Kayden said. “We had some decent finishes in the fall, but I still think our best golf is ahead of us. We’ve definitely got some guys that capable of playing well. They seem determined to win this thing this year.”
In fact, through five fall tournaments the Govs have a 290.2 stroke average playing on four golf courses with slope ratings better than 120. Senior Luke Sherrod and freshman Anthony Bradley lead the Govs with 71.3 stroke averages, while freshman Marco Iten is at 73 and senior Brian Balthrop at 73.5. Also set to return for the spring is sophomore Dustin Korte, who sat out the fall season on academic probation.
Kayden will get a look at the spring edition when the Govs open the championship season at the USF Invitational, March 4th, at Lake Jovita Golf Club.