The Gustavus men’s golf team competed against many of the country’s top NCAA Division III teams last Sunday through Tuesday at the Gordin Classic NCAA D3 Preview and came away with a 13th place finish with a three-day collective score of 301-328-304-933 (+69). The 18-team tournament held in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla. featured 16 colleges and universities that reached last year’s NCAA Division III National Tournament.
Methodist University won the prestigious tournament with a score of 292-304-293-889 (+25); Guilford College and Illinois Wesleyan University each recorded three-day totals of 903 (+39), tying for second.
Guilford’s Noah Ratner shot a three-under-par 72-70-71-213, winning the event. Mike Wesko of Methodist took second after progressively posting lower scores each day at 74-73-69-216 (E), while Ben Nihart of Greensboro College took third after shooting the tournament’s lowest round score – a five-under-par 67 on day one – finishing at one-over-par (217).
Sophomore Simon Erlandsson fired the Gusties’ lowest three-day total with a 12-over-par 75-83-70-228, placing 16th in the field of 91 golfers. The Mjolby, Sweden native’s third round two-under-par 70 was Gustavus’ lowest individual round of the tournament.
Gustavus’ remaining finishers included…
T-53: Trevor Gervais 76-84-76-236 (+20)
T-53: Andrew Oakes 74-82-80-236 (+20)
T-65: Tyler McMorrow 79-80-78-237 (+21)
T-83: Alex Kolquist 76-83-89-248 (+32)
“We played a lot better today,” Gustavus Head Coach Scott Moe said. “But we need to be more consistent top to bottom.”
Gustavus’ next tournament is the MIAC Championships held at Bunker Hills Golf Course on Oct. 1-3 in Coon Rapids, Minn.