The Gustavus Adolphus men’s golf team shot a 29-over-par 313 Thursday to jump from 20th place after round three to 14th place following the final round of competition at the 2006 NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Championship at Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln, Nebraska. Gustavus’ four-day, 72-hole team total of 1254 left them one shot ahead of Huntingdon College (1255). A total of six strokes separated 14th place Gustavus and 18th place Saint John’s (1260). Host Nebraska Wesleyan won the title by ten strokes over University of Redlands. Rochester’s Stephen Goodridge was medalist with a 5-over-par 289.
Senior Clayton Johnson (Anoka, Minn.) was the only Gustie to fire four rounds in the seventies, carding a 8-over-par 79 Thursday to go with Monday’s 6-over 77 and back-to-back 7-over-par 78s on Tuesday and Wednesday. Johnson finished tied for 49th with a 72-hole score of 28-over-par 312.
Junior Erik Tone (Willmar, Minn.) joined Johnson at 28-over-par 312 after a 6-over 77 during the final round. Tone carded a team-high four birdies Thursday.
Sophomore Jordan Hawkinson (Lindstrom, Minn.) shot a 9-over 80 Thursday to finish tied for 66th place with a 34-over-par 318. Senior Jon Hagedorn (Blue Earth, Minn.) was only one shot back at 35-over-par 319 after shooting his third consecutive round in the seventies. Hagedorn, starting play on the back nine, opened with an eagle on the par-5 11th hole, one of only 14 for the whole tournament, but gave the shots right back with a double bogey on the par-4, 410 yard 12th hole.
Sophomore Mark Stuckey (St. Peter, Minn.) rounded out the Gustie contingent with a 94th-place finish, shooting an final-round 87 to finish at 40-over-par 324.