GOODYEAR, Ariz. K-State senior Kyle Yonke loves Palm Valley Golf Club and the Ron Moore Invitational. Yonke shot a career-best 68 and was one of four Wildcats under par on Saturday as they climbed up the leader board and into second place with a 10-under 278.

Yonke, who shot an 18-hole career low of 69 at last year’s tournament en route to carding a 54-hole career low of 212 in 2007, found a way to leave four strokes on the course after shooting a season-best 72 (E) in Friday’s opening round. Yonke’s improvement, coupled with the steady play of his teammates helped the Wildcats to an 18-under 558, three strokes behind tournament leader San Diego.

“He likes the hot weather,” K-State head coach Tim Norris said of the senior from Lubbock, Texas. “It’s a comfort factor, he’s played a lot in the desert and likes the temperature. It suits him pretty well.

“He had 31 on the back nine today. He was going along pretty good (at the start) and lost a ball for a double bogey on the ninth hole, but made five birdies on the back nine. It was a great round by him.”

K-State’s Joe Ida, Mitchell Gregson and Robert Streb joined Yonke under par in the second round. Ida shot in the 60s for the second-consecutive day and finished with a 3-under 69. His two day tally of 7-under 137 puts him in a tie for fifth, six strokes behind Boise State’s Troy Merritt for the tournament lead.

Gregson is tied for eighth after carding his second consecutive round under par with a 2-under 70 on Saturday. Streb made a significant improvement from a 3-over 75 in Friday’s opening round to a 1-under 71 on Saturday. Streb is tied for 44^th and K-State’s Ross Guebelle is tied for 55^th after shooting 3-over 75.

K-State’s Daniel Wood is competing as an individual at the Ron Moore Invitational and is competing in a separate field of individuals. Wood followed up his first round 71 with a 5-under 67 on Saturday and would be tied for eighth after two rounds overall. The freshman’s 67 is the third-best 18-hole score by a Wildcat golfer this season.

The Wildcats’ 10-under performance on Saturday is the third-best round versus par this season and their 278 ties for eighth-best in school history.   

“All the guys were really solid,” Norris said. “There’s one more day to see if we can catch San Diego. If our guys just keep playing like this, they’ll be fine.”

Kansas State concludes competition in Arizona on Sunday with the final 18 holes beginning in the morning with a shotgun start. The Wildcats’ next competition is in the state of Kansas at the Diet Pepsi Shocker Classic on March 31-April 1 at Wichita Country Club.  

Ron Moore Invitational

Palm Valley Golf Club

Goodyear, Ariz.

Par 72, 7,015 yards

Team Scores: 1. San Diego 277-278555 (-21); 2. Kansas State 280-278558 (-18); 3. RCGA Development 279-284563 (-13); 4. Colorado State 285-279564 (-12); T5. Denver 284-282566 (-10); T5. Boise State 289-277566 (-10); 7. Ohio State 292-277569 (-7); 8. Utah 285-285570 (-6); 9. Northern Iowa 284-290574 (-2); 10. Iowa State 284-291575 (-1); 11. Kansas 291-285576 (E); 12. Hawaii 288-289577 (+1); 13. New Mexico State 286-293579 (+3); 14. Southern Utah 289-294583 (+7);15. Nebraska 289-298587 (+11); 16. Air Force 300-290590 (+14).

K-State Individuals: T5. Joe Ida 68-69137 (-7); T8. Mitchell Gregson 68-70138 (-6); T15. Kyle Yonke 72-68140 (-4); T44. Robert Streb 75-71146 (+2); T55. Ross Geubelle 72-75147 (+3); *Daniel Wood 71-67138 (-6).

*Wood is competing in a separate field of individuals.