Monday and Tuesday of this week, the Cyclones began their season at the Colonial Collegiate Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas.

The invitational was a two-day, 54-hole competition held at the Colonial Country Club. There were 10 collegiate teams that competed in the tournament with Iowa State: Kansas State, Texas Tech, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Baylor, TCU, Oklahoma State and West Virginia. 

The Cyclones finished 10th at the tournament with a 54-hole score of 894. 

Calm and collected 

Freshman Brock Barnhart shot the lowest amongst the Cyclones with a 218. Barnhart was in a four-way tie for 23rd place. Barnhart shared his mindset going into the Colonial Invitational as a new Cyclone.

“Giving myself the chance to play at tournaments like these is just what I needed,” Barnhart said. “… I wanted to show the team that I came here to contribute and that I’ll always play my hardest to get the lowest score I can.”

Barnhart also shot the lowest round score for the Cyclones with a 68.

“I try not to let it get into my head,” Barnhart said. “In the first round, I had a lot of long birdie puts that were able to drop.”

Barnhart shot a 74 in the second round and a 76 in the third. He had eight birdies in total. 

“I wasn’t able to get the putter rolling as hot in the second and third rounds,” Barnhart said. “I had a lot of birdies that just didn’t fall in.”

Mental discipline

Senior Tripp Kinney wasn’t too far behind Barnhart. In Kinney’s final year as a Cyclone, he was grateful to get back on the course with his team.

“Just being out here competing with the guys is truly a special feeling,” Kinnney said.

Kinney began his first round with one birdie during the first nine holes. Kinney bounced back Tuesday in the final round with three birdies.

In the final round of invitational, Kinney was one over on the front nine and was then even to end the back nine.

“I think I just put myself in better positions,” Kinney said. “It’s a course where they can tuck a lot of pins, and you can short-side yourself pretty easy. I just did a lot better job staying away from those bunkers and giving myself more looks at birdies.”    

Kinney finished the invitational with a 220 and in a two-way tie for 28th place with Garrett Martin from Texas Tech. 

The Cyclones will resume play at the Big 12 Match Play in Houston, Texas, on Oct. 2 to 4.