CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – WKU Men's Golf freshman Riley Grindstaff ends his fall freshman season with another top-15 finish, his second consecutive of the kind and third on the season. The Hilltoppers placed 11th as a squad at the Battle of Black Creek hosted by Chattanooga.
"This was as close as we have been to putting together a complete event in a long time," said head coach Chan Metts. "I saw a lot of great things from the team this week. I few get a few more putts to drop today, we could have climbed a few spots, but instead, we treaded water. The course played very tough today and we held our ground in those conditions which is always a good thing, but we really needed to gain a few spots on the board."
On Wednesday, the Hilltoppers were led by fifth-year senior Caleb O'Toole and junior Luke Fuller. Both posted 2-over 74's on the day. Fuller ultimately tied for 47th, moving up 10 spots, while O'Toole moved up the leaderboard six spots and tied for 22nd. This was his first start of the season and best finish since the Bash in the Boro in October 2020.
"It felt great earning my spot back in the lineup," said O'Toole. "I felt very grateful to be back this week and I tried to soak it all up. It always feels good to play well too."
Grindstaff was atop the Hilltopper leaderboard with his t-11th finish. Through 15 rounds of competitive collegiate golf, including a 4-over 76 in the final round on Tuesday, he is averaging 72.2 shots per round.
"It was an absolute blast," Grindstaff said of being in contention on the final day. "It was right where I want to be every tournament. I definitely got nerves knowing I was so close to my first college win. I think getting these back-to-back top 15's is big for my confidence going into the spring. I'm excited to get to work this offseason and have an even better second semester."
WKU's final score for the day was a 5-over 77 as that came from two freshmen in Stephen Warren and Elliott Pope. The pair finished t-64th and 92nd, respectively.
"This is a young team that has a lot of potential and I'm excited about the spring and future," added Metts. "But we have to keep our foot on the gas pedal and keep improving each week. We especially need to take advantage of this offseason."
The Hilltoppers will take the offseason in November, December and January before returning to action in February.
Results – Final
T11. Riley Grindstaff – 70, 69, 76 – 215
T22. Caleb O'Toole – 71, 74, 74 – 219
T47. Luke Fuller – 76, 73, 74 – 223
T64. Stephen Warren – 72, 77, 77 – 226
92. Elliott Pope – 81, 86, 77 – 244
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