Jones Cup Invitational Results |  2nd Round Tee Times | Live Scoring | Jake Fendt Bio | Kennesaw State Men's Golf Stats | Golfweek.com Story

SEA ISLAND, Ga. – With the spring season set to get underway in three weeks, Kennesaw State junior Jake Fendt showed his game is in fine form after opening with a 2-under par 70 to take the first-round lead at the Jones Cup Invitational that opened Friday at the par-72, 7,321-yard Ocean Forest Golf Club in Sea Island, Ga.
 
Competing in one of the top amateur fields of the year, Fendt was the only player to post a sub-par round after recording four birdies and two bogeys on a course that is widely regarded as one of the toughest tests in the amateur game.
 
"I struck the ball well today and kept the ball in front of me, which is important when the wind is blowing 20 miles per hour," Fendt said. "I'm just going to remain level-headed. I don't have any expectations and am just going to try my best and add up the scores after each round.
 
"It is a treat to be playing in this event along with so many other top-ranked amateurs on such a nice course," Fendt added.
 
The Owls' junior holds a two-shot lead over a group of three players that includes Michael Sass (College of Charleston), Spencer Ralston (Georgia) and Eric Ansett (Lipscomb), who all shot even-par 70s.
 
The field also includes Braden Thornberry (Ole Miss), who is the defending Jones Cup Invitational champion, U.S. Amateur champion Doc Redman (Clemson), British Amateur champion Harry Ellis (Florida State), U.S. Mid-Amateur winner Matt Parziale, U.S. Amateur quarterfinalist Dawson Armstrong (Lipscomb), U.S. Amateur semifinalist Theo Humphrey (Vanderbilt), Southern Amateur champion Karl Villips (Australia and committed to Stanford) and Players Amateur winner Phillip Knowles (North Florida). Knowles is coming off a fifth-place finish earlier this month at the Australian Master of the Amateurs.
 
"Jake has looked great this last week in practice and enjoyed a very productive offseason. It's no surprise that he is performing well," Kennesaw State head coach Bryant Odom said. "Ocean Forest is an extremely demanding course and everything about Jake's game fits the mold for success on such a challenging layout."
 
The weather forecast for this weekend calls for low 60s temperatures with wind expected to blow between 10-20 mph and an 80 percent chance of rain along the coastal course.
 
The Jones Cup Invitational has a rich history with a list of past winners that includes FedExCup champion Justin Thomas (2012), Patrick Reed (2010), two-time TOUR winner Kyle Stanley (2009) and PGA TOUR rookies Beau Hossler and Corey Connors.
 
Fendt, who competed in the event in 2016, is one of six Kennesaw State players to compete in the Jones Cup Invitational, joining Matt Nagy (2011, 2012), Jeff Karlsson (2012), Jimmy Beck (2013, 2014, 2015) and Teremoana Beaucousin (2015).

The tournament continues on Saturday with second-round action scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. (ET). Fendt will tee off on the 10th hole, and all the action can be followed live on the Internet at www.golfstat.com.

After a successful fall season that included a pair of runner-up finishes and a No. 46 Golfstat ranking, Kennesaw State will open its spring schedule at the Mobile Sports Authority Collegiate Invitational in Mobile, Ala. on Feb. 12.
 
Keep up with Owls men's golf by following KSU on Twitter @KSUOwlNation and @KSUOwlsMGolf or by liking Kennesaw State Owls on Facebook.
   


 

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