Hilltoppers Take Down UT Martin in Match Play to Finish Fall

Monday, October 24

Paducah CC

Western Kentucky University

Match Play

Photo by: Wyatt Richardson/WKU Athletics

Hilltoppers Take Down UT Martin in Match Play to Finish Fall

10/24/2022 3:54:00 PM | Men's Golf

PADUCAH, Ky. – WKU Men's Golf played one final contest of golf for the fall semester by taking down UT Martin in a match play style event at the par-72, 7,014-yard Paducah Country Club.

"Match play is just a completely different test of golf," said head coach Chan Metts. "We played a solid team today in UT Martin and everyone of our guys were down for at least one hole at some point in their match. To come back and win 5-1, I'm just really proud of the fight and toughness they showed coming down the stretch. We hit some great shots on 17 and 18 to close out some matches."

"Luke (Fuller) won 17 and 18 to go into extra holes and closed out the win there," Metts continued. "Riley (Grindstaff) buried a 25-footer for eagle to end it on 18 as well. Connery (Meyer) hit a great 6-iron shot on 18 from outside 200 yards and two-putted to win. This was just an all-round gritty win."

As Metts noted, senior captain Luke Fuller took his match to 19 holes, winning on the 19th. His pairing could've won on the 17th hole, but Fuller fought back to win 17, 18 and 19.

The first point of the day came from sophomore Riley Grindstaff. He won his match 2 & 1 on the 18th hole.

WKU's third point was Connery Meyer who went back and forth in his pairing for almost the entire front nine. After starting down on the first hole, Meyer was able to battle back and won his match 1-Up.
Fifth-year senior Landon Carner won his match by the largest margin at 3 & 2. He won three straight holes after losing the first and was able to maintain a steady lead throughout the round.

Sophomore Will Stewart picked up the fifth and final point for the Hilltoppers. Stewart won holes three through six. His pairing came back to eventually win holes 15 and 16, but Stewart kept a firm grasp on the point by winning holes 17 and 18 to finish 1 Up.

WKU's Nic Hofman fell in his pairing 3 & 2, dropping the sole match for the Hilltoppers.

"I'm just really proud of and excited for this team," added Metts. "We progressed during every event this fall. I've been waiting to see this progress for a long time because I've been watching it in practice for a while. This is a blue-collar team that works hard and does things the right way. I truly believe our best golf is still in front of us and I'm already looking forward to the spring season."