Porter leads way with par round for MSUB men

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Monday, March 28, 2016 Porter leads way with par round for MSUB men

Junior Michael Porter shoots an even-par 72 at the single-round Yellowjacket Spring Invitational at Pryor Creek Golf Club Monday.

HUNTLEY, Mont. – Michael Porter shot an even-par 72 at Pryor Creek Golf Club on Monday afternoon, leading the Montana State University Billings men’s golf team at the Yellowjacket Spring Invitational.

Porter tied for second place at the event, and helped the Yellowjackets to a team score of 301 on the par-72, 6,981-yard Elmer Links Course.

“It was nice to be the home team, and we are thankful to Pryor Creek for letting us be out here,” said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. “I’m very happy with Michael, and he cut some shots off of his best score from last week in California. He hit a lot of greens and gave himself a lot of short putts, and I am proud of his seventy two today.”

Coming off his best round of the year of 74 last week on his birthday at the Cal Baptist Invitational, freshman Austin Walter bettered the mark with a 73 and tied for fourth place at Monday’s event. Walter made par on holes five and 10, finishing 1-over on the day.

“On hole five I was able to get to the green in two, and two-putt for a good birdie,” Walter commented on the par-5 fifth hole. “I’ve played this course a good handful of times, so I felt pretty comfortable with the course layout.”

Freshman Braden Luper finished in 11th place with a 76, and freshman Scott Larson and junior Connor Miele tied for 15th each carding an 80.

Winning the tournament was Minot State University’s Karson O’Keefe, who was the lone player to break par with a 2under 70 on the day. O’Keefe’s effort led the Beavers to a team score of 299, as MSU held off the Yellowjackets by two strokes for the team title. Rocky Mountain College also competed in the event, with its top team scoring 309 and its second team checking in at 322.

Porter and Luper tied for the tournament high with 14 pars, while Walter was close behind with 13. Porter and Larson were the only two from MSUB with multiple birdies, and O’Keefe had the only eagle of the day. The average score among the field was an 80.44.

Originally scheduled to be a two-round event, Tuesday morning’s round was cancelled due to a poor weather forecast.

THE BUZZ: Porter was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…he was two strokes off of his season-best, which was a 70 that came in the fall…Monday’s event was the second of the spring for the Yellowjacket men.

AHEAD: The ‘Jackets head to Goodyear, Ariz., for the Western New Mexico Invitational, which takes place at Palm Valley Golf Club on April 4-5.

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