Students from UNL’s PGA Golf Management Program competed against the 17 other PGA Golf Management Programs in the 2018 Jones Cup on October 30-31 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Representing Team Nebraska this year were Cordell Weber from Welcome, Minnesota; Sam Rice from Pleasant Hill, Iowa; Kyle Murray from Beatrice, Nebraska; Josh Baldus from Fairmont, Minnesota; and TJ Loudner from Blair, Nebraska.
The Jones Cup is a two-day stroke play competition where five golfers per team compete and four golf scores are counted. The Jones Cup started in 2002 and continues to signify professionalism, integrity, sportsmanship, and camaraderie through competition among PGA golf management students. Dr. S. Roland Jones, namesake of the event and first director of the Mississippi Student University PGA Golf Management program, instilled these character traits in his students.
The competition was held on the beautiful Wanamaker Course at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie. The Wanamaker is a Tom Fazio designed course that challenges every team and provides for a true champion. The course was in excellent condition and the weather this year was fantastic.
At the conclusion of the day one competition, Team Nebraska fired a 324, which put them in a tie for 16th place out of the 18-team field. The team regrouped during the evening to discuss strategies for day two and concluded they needed to go out to have fun and enjoy their final round of golf.
Team Nebraska made a strong charge on day two and the men fired the second lowest round total of the day for all teams and moved into a tie for 8th place. Their second round total of 292 was one stroke out of Florida Gulf Coast’s team total of 291 who won the 2018 Jones Cup.
Day two scores for Team Nebraska saw Josh Baldus shoot a team low of one-under par 71. Josh had four birdies on his final 18 holes and was one of eight competitors under par for day two of the Jones Cup. Cordell Weber fired an even par 72 during round two with four birdies on the back nine to go along with an eagle on the par 5 first hole on the Wanamaker Course. Sam Rice shot a solid one over par 73 on the final round that included five birdies with a stretch of three birdies in a row. TJ Loudner shot a solid 76 in round two including four birdies with birdies on two of the par three holes on the Wanamaker Course. Kyle Murray fired a 77 in the final round and had team low nine hole round of 34, which included two birdies.
The day two total of 292 was the lowest 18 hole round for Team Nebraska at the Jones Cup and the 292 total moved Nebraska from a tie for 16th place to a tie for 8th place with Coastal Carolina University for a two day total of 616.
Congratulations men!
More details at: https://go.unl.edu/ebuo