The Saint Xavier University Cougar men’s golf team earned its first win of the season last Monday and Tuesday, September 16 and 17.
The Cougars were participating in the Mike Lalaeff Memorial Invite, a 16-team event that went their way. Every Cougar golfer who posted a qualifying score came in the top ten of the individual scoring category.
The two-day event was a stellar display of Saint Xavier golf at Lost Marsh Golf Course in Hammond, Ind., a 6,803-yard long, par-72 track that features water on 10 holes. That means forced carries and potential big numbers, challenges that the Cougars were able to easily overcome.
The Cougars led after each day of competition. They put up a team score of 304 on the first day, 13 strokes better than the second team that day, Owens Community College. Saint Xavier broke 300 for their team score the second day with a 297, putting them six strokes clear of the second-best team that day, Carthage College.
Senior Kirby Brown led the Cougars through the tournament. He posted a serviceable 76 on day one, but come back with a fantastic, 1-under 71 on the second day to take the number-one ranking in overall individual scoring.
James Kerr, Brown’s fellow senior, led the Cougars on the first day. He shot a 75, then improved on it with a 73 the second day. This left him in a tie for second in individual scoring with Tyler Nicol of Calumet College, just a stroke behind Brown.
Junior Kyle Bahnick was consistent yet again in putting up a 77-74 tournament score. He was alone in fifth place in individual scoring.
Senior Brendan Ryan earned a ninth-place individual finish. His first-day 76 was impressive, but he regressed just a little bit on the second day with a 79.
The Saint Xavier men’s golf team looks to see even more improvement in weeks to come, not only from the upperclassmen listed above, but also from younger players like sophomore Zack Trent, who shot matching 83s on days one and two as the team’s reserve player.
The consistency of the team was yet again impressive. When all four of a team’s qualifying golfers are in the top ten of individual scorers, the team has at the very least put itself in a good position to win the tournament going forward.
The golfing Cougars continue their fall season next Monday and Tuesday, September 30 and October 1 at the William Woods Fall Invitational. That tournament, their second-to-last of the fall season, will require the Cougars to travel to Tanglewood Golf Course in Fulton, MO.
Tim Carroll
Senior Sports Editor
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