Men's Golf 5/9/2024 7:00:00 PM Chris Brannick

UCO Is Sixth After First Round Of Regional Championships In Edmond

Bronchos Are Two Shouts Out Of Top Five At KickingBird Golf Club

EDMOND – Central Oklahoma got the 2024 NCAA Division II Men's Golf Central/Midwest Region Championships underway Thursday and the Bronchos are sixth in the team standings after the first round of play.

There are 10 teams from both the Central and Midwest regions playing 54 holes this weekend at KickingBird Golf Club in Edmond. The Bronchos posted a 2-over-par 282 on Thursday.

Missouri S&T and Harding are tied for first after one round, with both teams posting 4-under-par 276s. Michigan rivals Grand Valley State is third (277) and Ferris State is fourth (279). Henderson State rounds out the top five after shooting an even-par 280 Thursday.

The top five teams and the top two student-athletes not with an advancing team from each regional will advance to the finals at the Orange County National Golf Center and Lodge in Winter Garden, Florida May 21-25.

All 108 players tee'd off No. 10 Thursday beginning at 7:30 a.m. with the last tee time at 2:30 p.m. UCO began just before the 11 o'clock hour and it would be Bennett Baldwin leading the way with a 2-under-par 68 on Thursday.

The junior from Stillwater, Oklahoma played his first six holes par, par, birdie, par, par, birdie to get to 2-under. He bogeyed No. 16, but had two pars to wrap up the back nine 1-under par. Baldwin then had six par putts on the front nine with birdies on the Par 5 fourth and Par 3 sixth. Baldwin bogeyed No. 9 to finish the front nine 1-under and land at 2-under for the day. He is tied for 11th individually.

Baylor Bostick posted an even-par-70 to open his first career regional tournament. The freshman from Duncan, Oklahoma birdied the Par 4 10th, bogeyed the Par 3 11th, and then sank another birdie putt on the Par 5 12th. He settled in with five straight pars to follow before a bogey on 18 put him even for the back nine.

On the front nine, Bostick had seven par putts, a birdie on the Par 3 third, and a bogey on the Par 3 No. 6 to stay even for the day.

Jordan Wilson and Nick Canales both shot 2-over-par 72s on Thursday. The duo both made their regional debuts as well.

Wilson played the back nine 1-over-par with six pars and a birdie on No. 13. He bogeyed Nos. 12 & 16. On the front nine, he got back under par with birdies on the Par 4 second and Par 5 fourth. A bogey on No. 6 put him back to even par before a double on No. 8 put him at 2-over for the day.

Canales played the back nine 2-over with five par putts and a birdie on No. 15. He bogeyed Nos. 11, 12, and 17. On the front nine, Canales sank two more birdies but also had two more bogeys to go with five more par putts to keep him at 2-over-par for the day.

Kyle Hickey was also in the lineup for the Bronchos and his solid 3-over-par was a non-counting score. Hickey started the day par, bogey, birdie, birdie and then sank five straight par putts to finish the back nine 1-under-par. He didn't make another birdie, and played the front nine 4-over to finish his round 3-over for the day.

Central Oklahoma will get the early tee time for Friday's Round 2. Hickey gets it started at 7:30 a.m., with Bostick, Canales, Baldwin, and Wilson following every 12 minutes. Wilson's 8:18 tee time puts UCO's five on the course.

Saturday's Round 3 will determine the regional team and individual champions as well as the teams and individuals advancing to Florida for the national championships.

Third-year UCO head coach Derrick Thompson has got the Bronchos to the regional championships in each of his first three years. The Bronchos are looking to return to nationals for the first time since 2016.

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Players Mentioned

Bennett Baldwin: Junior

Kyle Hickey: Senior

Baylor Bostick: 6' 4"; Freshman

Nick Canales: 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman

Jordan Wilson: 5' 8"; Junior

Players Mentioned

Bennett Baldwin
: Junior

Kyle Hickey
: Senior

Baylor Bostick
: 6' 4"; Freshman

Nick Canales
: 5' 9"; Redshirt Freshman

Jordan Wilson
: 5' 8"; Junior