Kansas golfer Ryan Vermeer plans on keeping his No. 1 national ranking for a while.
Vermeer, who topped the first edition of the Sagarin Ratings after winning the season-opening Nebraska Invitational, made it two wins in two tries Tuesday at the Kansas Invitational at Alvamar.
Vermeer birdied two of the final three holes to finish at 2-under-par 214, one shot better than Missouri's Cory Ewert.
"It's quite a thrill," Vermeer, a native of Omaha, Neb., said of both the victory and No. 1 national ranking. "I'm not really surprised. I've kind of been riding an emotional high all summer with my game."
Vermeer shot a final-round 73 to pace the Jayhawks, who placed second overall to Missouri. The Tigers totaled 881 strokes to KU's 24-over-par score of 888.
"Placing second out of 17 teams is not bad, but at home we almost expect to win," Vermeer said.
It was a major downer for the Jayhawks, who entered as the country's top-ranked team in the Sagarin Rankings.
"Part of the reason we got the No. 1 ranking is a lot of teams had not played," Vermeer said. "We are disappointed because we didn't play the way we should have played. It's frustrating because on this golf course, we know we have an advantage over everybody."
Vermeer's individual victory was assured when he sank a 12-foot putt to birdie the par-4, 399-yard, No. 18 hole. Had Vermeer missed, he'd have entered a playoff with MU's Ewert, who played in the group ahead of KU's No. 1 golfer.
"When I walked up to the green, Chris Thompson motioned to me. He said I had to make it or there'd be a playoff," Vermeer said. Thompson won last year's Kansas Invitational and has since turned professional.
"I knew it was in when it was about a foot from the hole. I very rarely birdie 18. I actually birdied it twice this week. The only holes I feel I played all that great were 16, 17 and 18. I played them 5 or 6-under for the week," Vermeer added.
Vermeer entered the final round one shot off the pace. He was 3-over-par on the day after a double-bogey on the par-5, No. 11 hole, normally a birdie hole.
"I was frustrated all day," Vermeer said. "When I walked off 13, I said, 'You've got to let it all go,' and I started to concentrate."
He parred 14 and 15, then birdied 16, parred 17 and birdied 18.
"The way I played the last five holes ... I told myself I needed to do it and actually went out and did it," Vermeer said.
Casey Harbour, who didn't make the top five in qualifying, shot the day's best round of 2-under 70 and finished at 76-76-70--222, good for ninth place. Playing as an individual, he didn't count toward KU's team score.
Brad Davis, who finished with an eagle on the par-5, No. 2 hole (the golfers had a shotgun start, finishing on various holes), shot a final-round 73 and tied teammate Jake Istnick for 15th place.
KU's Andy Stewart and Conrad Roberts placed 35th and 54th respectively.
"We didn't play well," KU coach Ross Randall said. "I congratulate Missouri. They are much improved from last year. As happy as we were last week (after winning Nebraska Invitational by 35 shots), we are this unhappy now.
"I could see from Round One, we were not clicking. Everybody was struggling with this and that."
"In April and May, this will mean nothing," Randall added, referring to the all-important spring season when the NCAA championship is decided. "But right now it hurts. We'll do some practicing and a little qualifying, too. We had a couple guys not play well, more than a couple."
Randall realizes KU will abandon its No. 1 ranking, but Vermeer could keep his individual No. 1 honor.
"Ryan is definitely one of the top golfers in the country," KU's coach said of Vermeer who also won the Kansas Invitational two years ago and placed fourth lastyear.
"As far as the team ranking, that was just fun. It was temporary. Some of the top teams in the country hadn't played yet and weren't ranked."
Results in scoreboard.
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