When Erik Barnes signed with Austin Peay in Fall 2005, he carried a meager 130 pounds on his 5-foot, 9-inch frame. But don’t be mistaken, Barnes could hit it a long way. In fact, few—if any—in Kirk Kayden’s Austin Peay coaching career, could match Barnes’ driving ability.
The key in developing the confident Marion, Indiana, native was controlling that explosive swing. In fact, it happened relatively early in his Governors career. Once it did Barnes became one of the greatest golfers in Austin Peay’s storied program history, becoming the sixth Golf Gov selected to APSU’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Barnes arrived in Fall 2006 as that recruit Kayden hoped could provide ample support for standout Grant Leaver, but also someone to build the program around in the future. He certainly didn’t disappoint.
As a freshman, he averaged 72.6 strokes per round (third lowest all-time at the time) and was named second-team All-OVC, OVC Freshman Golfer of the Year and to the All-Newcomer team. He recorded his first career Top 10 finish by taking second at the F&M APSU Intercollegiate, shooting a 210.
Although as a sophomore Barnes had trouble replicating his freshman season, especially during the fall, he still finished second on the team in scoring average (74.0) and saw 30 of his 33 rounds count. After some swing changes finally began taking effect, Barnes regained form in the spring, achieving season-best second-place finishes at the Diablo Grande Intercollegiate and the Middle Tennessee Aldila Intercollegiate with a three-round 214 (76-69-69). At the Arkansas State Indian Classic with his first-round 67. Barnes fired a season-low, three-round 213 to help lead the Govs to victory.
That set up Barnes for a spectacular junior season, which saw him tie or set the APSU records for low 18-, 36- and 54-hole scores. It started in Fall 2008. At the Xavier Invitational he tied the APSU (since broken) single-round record with a 64.
A week later he smashed a pair of long-held APSU marks. In the F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate, Barnes fired back-to-back 66s for a Governors record 132 for 54 holes. He followed that up with a 67 for his first career medalist honor. Barnes won the tournament by six shots, his 199 (66-66-67) the first sub-200 score by a Gov in program history. Remarkably, he recorded par or better on 46 consecutive holes before a bogey on his 11th hole in the third round.
He carried that momentum into the spring. In fact, in the season’s final regular-season tourney he shot a final-round 67 to surpass 10 golfers on the final day to earn medalist honors at the UK Bluegrass Invitational in Lexington, Ky.
The Govs’ fourth-place finish, including Barnes’ medalist honors, served as a springboard to the 2009 OVC Championship, played at The Shoals Golf Club (The Fighting Joe course) in Muscle Shoals, Ala. On the final day, the Govs rallied from nine shots down to capture the league title by one stroke (877) over rival Murray State—it was Kayden’s first OVC title as a coach. Barnes finished 11th in the tourney. He also was named first-team All-OVC while becoming the sixth Governor to earn OVC Golfer of the Year honors.Â
The Golf Govs never regained that magic during Barnes’ senior season. However, he earned All-OVC for a third time, with his third-place OVC tourney finish permitting him to earn league all-tourney.
After his 2010 graduation, Barnes turned pro a year later, but it wasn't until 2012 his professional career started gaining traction. Then in 2014 he headed south to play in the PGA Tour LatinoAmerica. Barnes gained a Top 10 finish in his first outing and claimed two other Top 10 finishes. In between tour stints in Latin America, he also joined the PGA Tour Canada, collecting two more Top 10 finishes.
His successful third pro season allowed him to pursue his Web.com Tour card. By ending 35th overall in the tour school standings Barnes obtained a provisional Web.com Tour card for 2015. A second-place finish in just his fifth Web.com Tourney, the Chile Classic, assured him a complete tour season.
However, the last two seasons have not ended well for Barnes, both being cut short by injury. In 2016, it was his wrist and 2017 saw a back injury cut short his campaign, forcing him back to Q School, where again he finished well enough again to be part of the 2018 Web.com tour.
