Walking with the Flashes: Kent State extends its lead in Round 3 of the MAC Championship

Corey Conners tees off at the 4th hole during round 3

CARMEL, Ind. – Kent State is widening its lead over the University of Akron during a windy third round here at Prairie View Golf Club in suburban Indianapolis.

I’m walking with the team and will have updates here and on Twitter at @KSUAthletics.

You can also follow the scoring live at BirdieFire by clicking HERE.

UPDATE – 3:48 p.m. ... The story of today's round is up on the kentstatesports.com website.

Click here for the link.

The Flashes' lead at the end of round 3 is now 23 shots, and Conners at 12-under holds a six shot lead on the individual leaderboard.

The 6-under-par round by Kent State was the only one in red numbers on Saturday. In fact, the next best round was a 9-over-par total by Toledo. Akron stayed in second place, but dropped from five shots back to 23.

There's a quick correction to an earlier blog update... the hole-in-one by Conners was his second in 10 days. His ace at Windmill came in a practice round last week.

Here's a look at the team learderboard and the scorecards for Kent State.

UPDATE – 2:29 p.m. … Nothing like a hole-in-one to add some excitement to a golf tournament. That’s especially so during a conference championship.

Corey Conners ace at the 12th hole of Prairie View Golf Club put a jolt into the proceedings during the third round of the MAC Championship on Saturday. It also offered a friendly bit of one-upsmanship to teammate and fellow senior All-American Taylor Pendrith, who had just missed a hole-in-one by some six inches on the same hole seconds earlier.

“The funny thing is we had all just been talking about holes in one,” Pendrith said with a grin while standing on the 13th fairway. “The whole team was talking about how many we all had. Corey has had a bunch. I’ve only had one, but I’ve also had four double eagles.”

Pendrith’s near-ace at 12 briefly moved him into a tie with Conners for first place on the individual leaderboard at 7-under. Conners jumped ahead by marking a one on his scorecard and then nearly backing it up with another eagle at 13 when he knocked it on in two at the 572-yard par 5.

With only a few holes to play, Conners has the individual lead at 10-under par, four shots better than Pendrith and eight better than Toledo’s Otto Black in third place. Conners began the day tied with Akron’s Charlie Bull at 5-under, but Bull has fallen back to fifth place at plus-5 on the day through 15 holes.

Oh by the way, Conners' ace was his second of the week. He also had a hole-in-one on Tuesday during a practice round at Windmill Lakes Golf Club. That one also came on the 12th hole.

"He likes those 12th holes," said Pendrith.

UPDATE 12:29 p.m. … Kent State has made it through the turn and is the only team in the field under par for the third round.

The Flashes are 3-under on the day, improving their overall score to -9 – a mark that is now 13 shots better than Akron at 4-over-par overall and 5-over for the round.

Individually, Conners and Pendrith are starting to separate themselves a bit from the field.

Conners began the day tied at 5-under with Akron’s Charlie Bull. While Conners has moved to 7-under, Bull has fallen back, turning in a 5-over-par 41 to drop to even par and seven shots behind on the individual leaderboard.

Pendrith is one shot behind Conners at 6-under with Toledo’s Otto Black and Akron’s Ryan Harris six back as the only other players in the field under par at 1-under.

Here’s a look at the front nine scorecard for Kent State:

Kent State had made worked its way to 12-under and prior to a few bogeys and a double bogey on the seventh and eighth holes. 

Here’s a look at the team leaderboard heading to the back nine.

Pendrith hits from left rough on 7th hole in Round 3

UPDATE - 12:13 p.m. … Was there a little positive omen waiting for two Kent State players who grew up just outside of Toronto during the front nine here at Prairie Dunes?

On the par-5 7th hole that is playing more difficult playing into the teeth of a 25-mph wind, both Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners pulled their drives just left of the fairway near a bird feeder that had a swarm of bluejays vying for seeds.

“Yes, Taylor is a baseball fan and a Blue Jays fan,” confirmed Pendrith’s father, who has been walking with every step this weekend.

Pendrith made a nice recovery for to save his par and remain 3-under for the front nine. He followed with two more pars at 8 and 9 to turn in a 3-under-par 33 that had him just one off of the individual lead held by Conners.

Just seconds after Pendrith finished his par save at seven, Conners stuck his approach form the left rough to 12 feet. He just missed the putt to stay at 2-under for his round and 7-under for the tournament.

Corey Conners tees off at the first hole during round 3 of the MAC Championship