1st & 2nd Round Results (PDF)
3rd Round Tee Times (PDF)
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP, Ohio – A single-round tourney record highlighted the University of Findlay’s run during a waterlogged 36 holes to start the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Men’s Golf Championship at Four Bridges Country Club on Monday.
The Oilers carded a 290 as a team in their first 18 holes on the course, edging out the previous conference championship record round of 293 set last year by Trevecca. The rain came - and didn't stop - affecting the 55-player field to varying degrees as the afternoon wore on. The early tee times were beneficiaries of calm and still conditions before rain showers started to pick up mid morning.
Findlay’s men are trying to pull off the sweep after the Oilers’ women were crowned Great Midwest champions last weekend. Today, UF shot a two-round score of 595 after posting a 305 in the next set of 18 holes.
It’s crowded at the top and the team race has become increasingly tight, reducing the margin for error as teams prepare for their final shot on the par-72, 6,749-yard course tomorrow.
Trevecca is still within striking distance and the Trojans are looking to protect their conference championship win streak of five straight. TNU trails Findlay by just five strokes in the first-day standings with a 600 (294-306).
The Trojans were paced by junior Larken Whittemore, in solo third, and freshman regular-season conference scoring champ Blain Turner, who is in the small logjam with a share of seventh.
Ohio Valley, led by current top-10 performer Zack Forker, forged through the non-stop precipitation to post the best team score in the second round with an impressive 303. The 13-shot differential of improvement for the Fighting Scots has the program currently in fifth.
Not surprisingly, the top 10 individuals are scattered with scoring leaders throughout the regular season from around the league.
Hillsdale junior Liam Purslowe was in red numbers for the first round with a blistering 68 (-4), tied for the second-lowest round in Great Midwest Championship history since 2013. He enters the third round as the co-leader in the tournament with Findlay’s Dylan DeWitt (73-73--146), who was unwavering in the rapidly-changing weather conditions.
DeWitt is one of three Findlay golfers in the top four along with teammates Justin Roth and Luke Kelly, both tied for fourth.
The Chargers (294-310--604) are currently in third while Kentucky Wesleyan is only 11 shots back of the lead with a 606 (300-306).
Purslowe was one of just three players to have a round of under par in the first 18 joining Findlay’s Roth (71) and Trevecca’s John Leverton (71), who eagled and holed out on a chip from the ninth green.
Start times for Tuesday’s final round will be off the 1st and 10th tees starting at 7:30 a.m. on the front nine and 8:00 a.m. on the back.
The top five individuals and ties will be recognized in the awards ceremony as members of the all-conference first team. The team champion and individual medalist will also be honored while the remaining all-conference team spots will be voted upon by the league’s coaches.