LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – Three Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference men’s golf teams kicked off the spring season with a bang, as they swept the top spots at the Linda Lowery Invitational hosted by Concordia University in Austin, Texas.
The defending national champion, Schreiner University, took home top honors, while Southwestern University and Texas Lutheran University tied for second place in the two-day, 36-hole competition.
This competition was the first for any SCAC team since October 28, 2014, where Southwestern and Trinity University traveled to Abilene, Texas for the Abilene Intercollegiate.
In the most recent coaches’ poll by the Golf Coaches Association of America -- released November 14, 2014 -- Schreiner was ranked seventh in the nation, followed by Southwestern in a tie for eighth. Texas Lutheran came in at the No. 21 spot and Trinity University rounded out the SCAC members at No. 25.
Schreiner University
The seventh-ranked Mountaineers battled bad weather and
windy conditions to finish the competition in the top spot out of
the 11-team field with a score of 626, eight shots ahead of their
SCAC counterparts. Cheyne Kendall notched the second lowest round
of the competition on his first day, shooting a 73 (+1). He added
78 through the final 18 holes for an overall mark of 151, earning
second place in the competition. Jimmy Keener, Zach Oliver and Matt
McClung all tied for 12th place, totaling 160. McClung
rebounded from a high first-round score to shoot the team’s
lowest-round Tuesday, 76 (+4). In his first collegiate performance,
Ian Horne finished in the top half of the pack, placing
31st with a total mark of 164.
Southwestern University
The No. 8 Pirates started the spring season with a great
showing at the Linda Lowery Invitational, finishing in a tie for
second place with Texas Lutheran. Southwestern totaled 634 through
the competition, led by Jordan Cowart in sixth place, shooting a
158. Sutherland Stith was just one shot behind his teammate,
finishing in a tie for ninth place after firing off a 159. Tyler
Gammill and Erik Walinder rounded out the scoring members of the
Pirates’ squad, both shooting a 160 to tie for
12th place. Gammill shot the team’s low-round, 75
(+3), after coming back from 32nd place during the first
day. Cody Hebert was the fifth Pirates member on the team,
finishing in 18th place with a total mark of 161. The
Pirates also had two individuals competing at the invitational, as
Connor Murphy came in a tie for 36th place shooting a
166 and Andrew DeHennis posted a 169 overall for 45th
place.
Texas Lutheran University
The Bulldogs finished the Linda Lowery Invitational in a
tie for second place after shooting a 634 through the two days.
Kraig Zimmerhanzel led the TLU squad, shooting a 156 and marking
the lowest-round of the competition during the second day, an
even-par 72. Adam Peterson led the team through the first day with
a 76 (+4) before finishing second among the Bulldogs and sixth
overall with a total mark of 158. Matthew Grant and Wyatt Blezinger
rounded out the scorers for TLU, posting scores of 162 and 164,
respectively.