After earning the distinction of being the top Seattle University finisher at last week’s Redhawk Invitational at Chambers Bay in University Place, Wash., freshman Kyle Cornett (Mill Creek, Wash.) has been named the Western Athletic Conference Male Golfer of the Week, announced Tuesday by the conference office.
Cornett started off the week by shooting two-under-par 68 over the par-70 layout, his best single-round score of the 2013-14 season and his lowest first-round score of the year by four strokes. His 68 helped Seattle U combine for a score of 288 in the opening round of its own tournament, tying the lowest first-round score by the Redhawks this year.
Later Monday, Cornett toured the Chambers Bay course again and posted a second-round total of five-over-par 75, and then he followed that with another 75 in the final round Tuesday, going four-over-par on the par-71 version of the course. He finished the tournament at seven-over-par 218, good enough for a tie for 29th place in the 92-player field.
“Kyle was my very first recruit to Seattle University and for good reason,” Seattle U head golf coach Marc Chandonnet said. “He loves the game of golf, he is a very gritty competitor, and I think we both believe he truly has the capability to become one of the greatest players in the country. He has been through some very difficult times this past school year with injuries, but is finally back to full health and I couldn’t be more excited about that for him and for his team. It’s great timing with the postseason among us soon.”
The first-year player has competed in seven tournaments so far in 2013-14, compiling an average score of 74.6, second-best for the Redhawks. The first round 68 was Cornett’s third round in the 60s and his fourth round at par or better so far this season. Cornett is the first Seattle U golfer to earn WAC Golfer of the Week honors since Rob Seibly received the weekly recognition April 2, 2013.
The Seattle University men’s golf team heads to El Macero, Calif., for the El Macero Classic, co-hosted by UC Davis and the University of Nevada at the El Macero Country Club. One round will be played each day Friday through Sunday, April 18-20.