Throughout the fall, BJ Knox was as crucial as any piece to one of the best fall semesters in the history of the Shawnee State men's golf program.
With the start of the spring now upon us, Knox is wasting no time making a further dent in the record books at Shawnee State.
Knox the Fox
Just five months following the Bears' last meet of the fall, where Shawnee State set school records for the lowest 18-hole and 36-hole scores as a team in school history, Knox proceeded to add to the fun 2020-21 campaign for the Bears by shooting the men's golf program's lowest-ever 18-hole round while helping match the team's lowest 18-hole round as well by posting a six-under 64 at the Alice Lloyd Spring Invitational, held at the Battlefield Golf Club in Richmond, Ky.
In his fantastic showing to start the spring, Knox put together another classic performance as the native of Maysville, Ky. birdied the first, third, seventh, eighth, 10th, 11th and 16th holes to lead Shawnee State -- and the field -- throughout. He also posted 10 additional pars while bogeying only one hole -- the second -- en route to whipping the field by three strokes on the opening day.
Knox, however, wasn't the only player to shine.
Consistency the Hallmark
In fact, the entire Shawnee State contingent finished well inside the top-half of the field, with Elijah McCarty's two-over 72 heading the remaining group. McCarty, who tied for 12th place after the opening day, birdied four out of the last eight holes (11th, 13th, 16th and 18th) and posted pars on nine additional greens to record his two-over.
Fellow Adams County native Patrick England, who also posted a two-over 72 alongside McCarty, also posted five birdies, knocking down -1s on the third, eighth, ninth, and -- along with McCarty -- the 11th and 16th holes while notching pars on eight holes himself.
Rounding out the scoring field for Shawnee State were Brett Bentley and Steven Zimmerman, who finished with rounds of four-over 74 and five-over 75 to finish the opening day in a tie for 20th and a tie for 22nd overall.
Bentley, in his first career appearance as a scoring golfer for the Bears, made good on his appearance, notching birdies on the first, third, seventh, 10th and 16th holes while parring on six additional greens. Zimmerman, meanwhile, continued his steady play while adding in a ninth-hole birdie, a 10th-hole eagle and 10 pars to boot to complete a strong first day for SSU.
NEXT UP
As a team, Shawnee State (plus-two, 282) holds a seven-stroke lead over Northwestern Ohio (plus-nine, 289) while Ohio Christian (295), Indiana East (296) and Pikeville (298) round out the top-five overall.
The Bears will continue action on the second day of the Alice Lloyd Spring Invitational Sunday as SSU looks to take home its fourth tournament win of the season.
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