By TODD MOORE
Barton Sports Info
The 20th ranked Barton Community College men's golf team earned its first national tournament berth in ten years by finishing tied for 4th last Tuesday in the Region VI/Central District Championships held at Tiffany Greens Golf Club in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Cougars tied 15th ranked Iowa Western in the standings compiling a 37-over 901 in the 54-holes, two-day event by staying consistent with a pair of 300 rounds followed by a closing 301 score.
Barton qualifies for the national tournament as a team for the first time since 2014 marking the second berth under Head Coach Doug Kaiser. The Cougars now prepare for a trip to Hobbs, New Mexico, for the 2024 NJCAA Division I Championship held May 14-17 at Rockwind Country Club.
In a district featuring seven within the nation's Top-25 ranked teams, 3rd ranked Indian Hills captured the title posting consecutive 283 scores followed by a 298 round to win by 17 strokes at even-par 864. Region VI members 5th ranked Hutchinson and 8th ranked Dodge City tied for second in sharing the regional title at 17-over 881.
Axel Bolander finished as the Region VI runner-up in earning All-District honors, the highest individual placing since Jermie Eloy's Region title leading the 2014 squad.
Making a 22-step climb up the leaderboard after an opening 4-over 76, Bolander fired a 2-under 70 in Monday's afternoon round before draining a handful of clutch putts down the stretch for a Tuesday card of 1-under 71.
The accumulated effort put the sophomore in 5th place of the 70-competitor field at 1-over 217 to additionally match Eloy's district accomplishment.
Like Bolander, Martin Chevallier made a big climb up the standings from 46th place following a 9-over 81 by playing 4-over golf in the next two rounds with 73 and 75 cards for a 19-spot climb into 27th at 13-over 229.
Kaleb Lambert began the Championships with an even-par 72 for 9th overall but took a tumble down to 29th at 14-over 230 following 77 and 81 rounds.
In 34th place at 16-over 232 was Tanapoom Kaewjoey on 78-80-74 rounds as Worathan Thammachokecharoen rounded out the team entries in 47th at 26-over 242 on 74-80-88 cards.
Anthony Arriola led the individualists with consistent 81-82-81 rounds for a 50th placing at 28-over 244 with Thantup Saengvut in 61st at 44-over 260 following 82-96-82 scores.
Barton Results:
5th Axel Bolander +1, 217 (76-70-71)
T-27th Martin Chevallier +13, 229 (81-73-75)
T-29th Kaleb Lambert +14, 230 (72-77-81)
T-34th Tanapoom Kaewjoey +16, 232 (78-80-74)
T-47th Worathan Thammachokecharoen +26, 242 (74-80-88)
Individualists:
50th Anthony Arriola +28, 244 (81-82-81)
61st Thantup Saengvut +44 (82-96-82)
Team Standings:
1st #3 Indian Hills CC E, 864 (283-283-298)
T-2nd #5 Hutchinson CC +17, 881 (291-290-300)
T-2nd #8 Dodge City CC +17, 881 (297-290-294)
T-4th #15 Iowa Western CC +37, 901 (293-307-301)
T-4th #20 Barton CC +37, 901 (300-300-301)
6th #21 Garden City CC +51, 915 (303-311-301)
7th #25 John A. Logan College +73, 937 (311-307-319)
8th #32 Fort Scott CC +76, 940 (302-317-321)
9th #38 Kansas City Kansas CC +79, 943 (309-311-323)
10th #33 Crowder College +99, 963 (320-324-319)
11th #48 Coffeyville CC +248, 1112 (384-375-353)