Next time, Kansas University golf coach Ross Randall will have to let his calmest player handle the trophy presentation.

Following Tuesday’s Kansas Invitational victory at Alvamar, Kevin Ward dropped the Jayhawks’ first-place plaque.

“What a clown,” KU freshman Gary Woodland of Topeka joked. “He’s always goofing around.”

Ward, who lucked out because the glass trophy didn’t break when it hit the ground, passed the blame to Ryan Rainer — who “was trying to get a look at it, and knocked it out of my hand.”

Randall — whose squad held off North Texas for the team title with a score of 855, compared to the Mean Green’s 872 — quipped that next time he would smack some sense into his players with their newly earned award.

“I don’t think he broke it. I hope not because I was going to put it on my desk for a little while,” Randall said with a smile. “Then if I need to smack somebody in the head with it, I can.”

Randall probably won’t have to produce the plaque to scare Andrew Price into playing up to par. The junior continued his recent hot streak by winning his first-ever collegiate tourney with a three-round score of 207.

“I’m real happy,” said a humbled Price. “I never get too ecstatic or emotional out there, but I’m really excited about this.”

Price’s 71 Tuesday, was his highest of the tourney, but his 207, and first-round score of 67, were both career bests.

Kansas University golfer Andrew Price tees off in the Kansas Invitational. Price shot a 71 Tuesday at Alvamar and was the individual winner by six strokes.

“Andrew Price played great this entire tournament,” Randall said. “He is playing with a lot of confidence and has had a great start to this season.”

While Tuesday’s victory was Price’s first, his sixth-place finish at The Ridges Intercollegiate in Jonesborough, Tenn., last weekend was even more impressive, according to his coach.

“He played really well last weekend in one of the strongest fields in the country,” Randall said. “He beat a lot of top-ranked players.”

Ward said his teammate’s success came about because of a summer of hard work, although he said he doubted Price was pumping a lot of iron in a gym.

“He definitely didn’t bulk up any,” Ward joked about the slender Price.

6Sports video: Price wins KU tourney

Price, true to his character, took his friend’s rip in stride and said that he indeed felt more confident because of some summer strides.

“I played in a few more tournaments and practiced a few more things,” Price said. “Playing on our home course really helped my confidence in this tournament though.”

Price, who beat a trio of players tied for second-place Tuesday with a score of 213, wasn’t the only Jayhawk to play well at Alvamar, because Kansas as a team had its lowest total in the tourney since 1997.

Woodland, who along with four other Jayhawks were playing as individuals, tied for eighth place with a score of 216.

Ward, who tied his career-best round with a third-round score of 71, tied for 11th with KU’s Tyler Docking, who shot a total 217.

Rainer and sophomore Pete Krsnich, who tied for 26th place with a score of 221, rounded out KU’s scoring foursome.

Sophomore Luke Trammell tallied a career-best 225, earning him a 42nd-place tie, while freshman Barrett Martens, competing in his first collegiate tournament, shot a 228 to tied for 54th. Senior Tyler Hall finished in 80th with a 237, while sophomore Jason Sigler came in at 84th with a 242.

Randall said he was pleased with the overall play of his team and said the only gaffe was the toppled trophy.

But Price said if the Jayhawks won the Pepperdine Club Grove Intercollegiate Oct. 6-7 in Camarillo, Calif., he’d hold the team’s trophy.

“Yeah, I guess I’ll have to take care of the trophy next time too,” said a smiling Price.