GREAT BEND, Kan. (BartonSports.com) – The 20th ranked Barton Community College men’s golf team earned its first national tournament berth in ten years by finishing tied for 4th last Tuesday in the Region VI/Central District Championships held at Tiffany Greens Golf Club in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Cougars tied 15th ranked Iowa Western in the standings compiling a 37-over 901 in the 54-holes, two-day event by staying consistent with a pair of 300 rounds followed by a closing 301 score.
Barton qualifies for the national tournament as a team for the first time since 2014 marking the second berth under Head Coach Doug Kaiser. The Cougars now prepare for a trip to Hobbs, New Mexico, for the 2024 NJCAA Division I Championship held May 14-17 at Rockwind Country Club.
In a district featuring seven within the nation’s Top-25 ranked teams, 3rd ranked Indian Hills captured the title posting consecutive 283 scores followed by a 298 round to win by 17 strokes at even-par 864. Region VI members 5th ranked Hutchinson and 8th ranked Dodge City tied for second in sharing the regional title at 17-over 881.
Axel Bolander finished as the Region VI runner-up in earning All-District honors, the highest individual placing since Jermie Eloy’s Region title leading the 2014 squad.
Making a 22-step climb up the leaderboard after an opening 4-over 76, Bolander fired a 2-under 70 in Monday’s afternoon round before draining a handful of clutch putts down the stretch for a Tuesday card of 1-under 71.
The accumulated effort put the sophomore in 5th place of the 70-competitor field at 1-over 217 to additionally match Eloy’s district accomplishment.
Like Bolander, Martin Chevallier made a big climb up the standings from 46th place following a 9-over 81 by playing 4-over golf in the next two rounds with 73 and 75 cards for a 19-spot climb into 27th at 13-over 229.
Kaleb Lambert began the Championships with an even-par 72 for 9th overall but took a tumble down to 29th at 14-over 230 following 77 and 81 rounds.
In 34th place at 16-over 232 was Tanapoom Kaewjoey on 78-80-74 rounds as Worathan Thammachokecharoen rounded out the team entries in 47th at 26-over 242 on 74-80-88 cards.
Anthony Arriola led the individualists with consistent 81-82-81 rounds for a 50th placing at 28-over 244 with Thantup Saengvut in 61st at 44-over 260 following 82-96-82 scores.
Barton Results:
5th Axel Bolander +1, 217 (76-70-71)
T-27th Martin Chevallier +13, 229 (81-73-75)
T-29th Kaleb Lambert +14, 230 (72-77-81)
T-34th Tanapoom Kaewjoey +16, 232 (78-80-74)
T-47th Worathan Thammachokecharoen +26, 242 (74-80-88)
Individualists:
50th Anthony Arriola +28, 244 (81-82-81)
61st Thantup Saengvut +44 (82-96-82)
Team Standings:
1st #3 Indian Hills CC E, 864 (283-283-298)
T-2nd #5 Hutchinson CC +17, 881 (291-290-300)
T-2nd #8 Dodge City CC +17, 881 (297-290-294)
T-4th #15 Iowa Western CC +37, 901 (293-307-301)
T-4th #20 Barton CC +37, 901 (300-300-301)
6th #21 Garden City CC +51, 915 (303-311-301)
7th #25 John A. Logan College +73, 937 (311-307-319)
8th #32 Fort Scott CC +76, 940 (302-317-321)
9th #38 Kansas City Kansas CC +79, 943 (309-311-323)
10th #33 Crowder College +99, 963 (320-324-319)
11th #48 Coffeyville CC +248, 1112 (384-375-353)
